Teenage Saiyan
by Rite4ever
Summary: FINALLY! THE EPILOGUE IS UPDATED AND THIS STORY IS NOW COMPLETE! During the tournament a clown comes to town and kills a bunch of people on earth! Dueling the Z fighters, only Pan and Trunks are left. Will they have enough power to destroy Mystro? TP fic!
1. Frickin' Alarm Clock

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Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.  
  
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Chapter 1: Frickin' Alarm Clock  
  
Beeeeeeeeep! Beeeeeeeeeeeep! Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! Pan rolled out of bed and onto the floor, slapping the alarm clock on her way down. She reluctantly got up and rubbed her eyes. It was the first day of freshman year and Pan was not looking forward to it. She put on a pair of jeans and a black and red tie dyed shirt along with her Vans. (Shoes if you don't know). She brushed her teeth and combed her hair and vaulted all 29 steps down to the kitchen.  
  
"Morning Ma. Hey Kiai, how's my baby?" Pan cooed, stopping to pet her dog.  
  
"We have pancakes and eggs. Sit down and I'll get you some." Videl said, flipping pancakes in the air.  
  
"That's okay Ma. I'll just take an apple. I'm late as it is. See ya later." Pan replied. And with that she grabbed an apple and her backpack and walked out the door, leaving her mother with a forlorn look on her face.  
  
"Oh well," sighed Videl. "Come Kiai. We'll have our own feast."  
  
Pan walked along the side of the road, thinking. She didn't want to go to school. She wanted to continue her summer of training with her dad, Gohan, and her uncle, Goten, and the rest of her friends. She was coming along nicely, her power level increasing to even more powerful heights. If she could have, she would have not gone to school. But as it was, her father highly believed in education. Thus, she was forced to. Pan was brought back to earth by a sudden ditch in the road, and she fell, face first. 'Grrrrrrr,' she thought. 'I hate walking. Screw walking. I'm flying.'  
  
So she took off, leaving dust on the ground under her. She flew low, so she made a game out of leaping over bushes and trees. But the trip didn't last long. She was forced to the ground again 100 yards from the school. She walked up to the school, and everyone was staring at her. 'Damn it,' she thought. 'I must look like a tornado hit me.' Pan hurriedly jogged to the bathroom and fixed her hair. She was walking out when flaming purple hair caught her attention. 'Trunks? Does he go to this school?'  
  
"Trunks!" She called after him, but he seemed not to hear her. Sighing, she went to her first class.  
  
It was Study Hall and Pan was sitting against a tree, reading. She didn't like being cooped up inside all day. She needed fresh air. The wind blew mild, and her jet-black air blew, shining in the light. The deep depths of her brown eyes were endless. And her lips were full and true.  
  
Trunks walked outside to the courtyard. What a day. All these stupid freshmen girls flocked him all day. He needed to get away when he saw a beautiful girl sitting against an oak tree. He thought, 'Wow, she's got a nice body, but she looks so familiar.' His curiosity got the better of him and he casually walked closer. As he drew nearer, old memories of a younger version of a black haired girl came back to him. From about a year ago. "Pan?" She looked up. "Son Pan?"  
  
"Trunks!" She cried. Pan got up and ran to him, straight into his arms. They hugged, as old friends reunite. They broke apart and stared at one another. " Oh my god!" They cried at the same time, and embraced again.  
  
"You look great." Trunks commented.  
  
"Thanks. You too." She blushed as she replied. They went and sat by the tree. They talked of old memories and how they haven't seen each other in so long. Trunks could not stop looking at her. It was as if she was a whole new person. She had been a scrawny, determined, female saiyan trying to beat the boys. Now she was a woman, a full grown one at that and his eyes were glued to her.  
  
Pan was so enticed by him, with his hair, and his laughing baby blue eyes. He was hot, and she wasn't scared to admit it. She was only 15, and he 17, (A/N I know that's unrealistic, but hey, I'm makin' the story here.) and she didn't think she had a chance. She also didn't know if her parents would approve.  
  
The bell rang and she said good-bye reluctantly. He suggested they get together some time but all she could do was nod her head.  
  
Sorry everybody that's it for now. Give me your feedback ASAP. 


	2. Hands Off

Chapter 2: Hands Off  
  
The bell rang for the last time that day and Pan gratefully got up and schlepped herself out the door. She didn't feel like going home because she knew that would mean doing homework, so once she was hidden, she took off from the ground.  
  
She flew towards Capsule Gymnasium, which was where all the top fighters went to train. It was new, and Pan had only been there once. She floated to the door and set her feet lightly on the ground. She walked in and the air conditioning hit her full force. 'They must need it, with all the men working up a sweat,' she thought.  
  
Big, buff men stared at her as if she was crazy when she kept walking forward. Some snickered, and she shot them a glare. They stopped. Pan walked up to the front desk and spoke to the woman there. "Excuse me, can you tell me where the women's lockers are?"  
  
" Are you looking for your father dear? Because if you are, he won't be in the women's lockers." She was amused.  
  
"No, I'm here to train. Can you please tell me or will I have to look for myself?" She shot back.  
  
There was a change in the lady's attitude. " Of course not, down the hall, make a left, and then a right."  
  
She took the lady's directions and put her stuff in a locker. She changed into her father's dojo wear that he had got for her. They were light, as well as her boots, and she could fight well in them.  
  
She headed for the gravity chamber when some 18 year- old senior came up to her and put his arm around her shoulder and started whispering in her ear obscene things. She elbowed him in the ribs and said, "Get off you stupid git." He doubled over, but then walked back to his friends for them to start whispering to each other.  
  
Pan continued on her way and stepped into the gravity chamber. She switched on the lights and set the gravity for 300, just to start. The lights flashed and the machine beeped, and the ground and her body felt much heavier. She stretched and set the machine again for beams that would try to hit her. It beeped again and white beams of energy shot out at her. She dodged and started bouncing off the walls by kicking off from the wall. The speed of the beams increased so she cried out and boosted her own energy level. She went so fast you couldn't see where she was. Little did Pan know, that as her energy went up, the outside of the chamber glowed a dull red. She went at this for an hour, increasing the gravity and speed progressively. She finally stopped, and breathed as great drops of sweat and power dripped off her.  
  
She caught her breath and opened the door. She breathed carefully, monitoring herself until she could focus and her energy started building up again, and she was slightly refreshed. She grabbed a towel and wiped her face down with it. When she took her face out of the towel and turned around, the group of boys from before had made a move to encircle her. The head boy, the one she had hit, came up to confront her.  
  
" Hey, have a nice time in that chamber? Nearly blew us all up when it turned red huh?" he said.  
  
"What?" Pan replied. What was he talking about? "Hey I have to get home." She made a move toward leaving. They closed around tighter.  
  
" Where do you think you're going? I have a proposal for you." The boy said. " By the way, I'm Micah, and these are my friends."  
  
Another boy piped up and said, "Micah, I've seen her around, she's new. She goes to Orange Star too."  
  
"Well, I guess this won't be the last time I see you. But back to the point," he glared at the other kid, who shrank away, "I challenge you to a match tomorrow. Same time, at the Dying Field. See you at school." He brushed past her, tracing her jaw line with his finger.  
  
She stood there, not knowing what to think. It had in fact been one of the strangest moments she'd ever had. "Oh, well," she said to herself. "It's nothing I can't handle." But one thing for sure, she did not like that little tip of affection he had given her seconds before.  
  
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	3. Fool

Hey kids! This is a really short chapter but it's only supposed to be a fight sequence! Please R&R!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ  
  
~  
  
Chapter 3: Fool  
  
Nothing but death. The grass was old and crinkly. The trees creaked and whined in the ever-increasing wind. Pan wondered why it was called the Dying Field. It was already dead. Even so, she crept up the hill craning her neck to see if her rival was there. He was not. So she leaned up against one of the creaking trees and chomped on her apple she had brought along. She had barely sunk her teeth into when she heard the sounds of laughter behind her. She didn't need to look. She knew it was Micah, coming for the challenge.  
  
"Hey Panny. Let's go." Micah walked over to face her against the tree. He began to stretch out suddenly on the ground. Pan ignored the nickname and did likewise. Micah laughed and joked with his friends. "Okay, I'm ready." He shook out his shoulders and looked expectantly at her.  
  
"Give it your best shot blondie," Pan said, for he was certainly blond, with light blue eyes that were as cold as ice. Pan smirked at him and she started walking the distance from the tree to the top of the hill. Micah followed suit, his face slightly red.  
  
They reached the top of the hill. Micah's friends surrounded them, with the red headed slutty girl counted them off. "Ready, fight!" her high- pitched voice sounded.  
  
Pan waited for Micah to start, so she could play with him a little. She was right. Micah came in with a fury of fists, each one more powerful than the last. Pan dodged each one, her figure a blur against the brownish color of the grass. She grew bored and blocked all of his punches instead, and brought her left foot curved around his right, grabbed his arms, and kneed him in the gut. Micah cried out and lunged back. He was panting like a tired dog back from a long walk.  
  
"Not bad," Pan commented, "except maybe aim those punches a little more." That smirk crept up on her face again.  
  
"Why you little..."  
  
This time it was a combo of punches, back fists, and wheel-kicks. Pan was humored. She moved in a second behind the boy, and for a moment he didn't know where she was. He sensed her though and turned around. Pan was ready.  
  
  
"Fool."  
  
And she planted a full-fledged chicken kick right to his nose. He bled; it appeared she had broken Micah's nose. He screamed as he clutched his poor nose; the red head whinnied like a horse, and the kid's friends crowd around him. But he didn't need it; he pushed them away and pointed his index finger at Pan. "You'll be sorry, you good for nothing whore."  
  
"Just don't go crying to your mommy that a girl beat you up, Micah," Pan elongated the last word, and for the third time she had a smirk on her face. Micah flicked her off but said nothing. As if to prove her point, Pan took flight, leaving dust on the ground for everyone to cough up.  
  
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	4. 8th Note

"Pan! Hey wait up! It's Trunks!" Trunks called after Pan, and she spun around, looking for her caller.  
  
"Hey! What's up?" Pan was really glad to see him; she needed a break. Word had obviously gotten around school, and everyone was talking about what had taken place Friday afternoon. Over the weekend she had confined herself to working out in the private dojo of her grandfather, the famous Hercule.  
  
"Care to tell me about the rumors going around maybe? Tell me the truth about what happened?" Trunks looked inquiringly at her.  
  
"Not really, just beat the shit out of that kid Micah." Pan glared back; ready for any comment he would throw at her.  
  
"Whoa, simmer down Pan-chan," he said, using his old nickname for her. She knew he could feel her ki rising, as she could feel his.  
  
"Sorry," she said, she could finally feel all the stress catching up to her. Trunks knew it too; he gave her a little squeeze on the shoulders for reassurance. She was grateful for it. "I didn't want to hurt him too bad, you know, and he was just really." She struggled to find the word she was looking for.  
  
"Stupid," Trunks finished for her.  
  
"Ya."  
  
"Well, hey, I got some good news. The world tournament is coming up. Even better, it's being held right here in Tokyo this year. You have to compete Pan! It'll be wicked!" Trunks said this with a grin on his face; he enjoyed fighting just like any other Saiyan might.  
  
"I don't know; I have a lot of work ahead of me. It would be fun though." Pan gazed thoughtfully into space.  
  
"It'll be alright. I could help you study and we can both train together. Please?" Pan couldn't say no. With the offer of spending so much time with him, she was more than willing.  
  
"Okay, as long as you keep your promise." Pan giggled.  
  
"Yes!" He gave her a hug, one that lifted her off the ground and they both laughed aloud, despite the people looking at them. They walked to class together; splitting when they came to the fork in the sidewalk and Trunks went left and Pan went right.  
  
Shutting her Trig book Pan stood up and brushed the eraser bits off her lap. Homework had been particularly tough this afternoon, nonetheless Pan had finished in due time. She decided to head over to the Capsule Corp Gym to get some conditioning in. Grabbing her keys she headed out to her car, silver 1989 Beamer in peak condition. Obeying the speed limit Pan busted out her music, One Last Breath, by Creed.  
  
~Please come now I think I'm falling  
  
I'm holding on to all I think is safe  
  
It seems I found the road to nowhere  
And I'm trying to escape  
I yelled back when I heard thunder  
But I'm down to one last breath  
And with it let me say  
  
Let me say~ 


	5. Kiss Don't Kill

Chapter 5: Kiss.Don't Kill  
  
She thrust her cleat up and the ball bounced off of her foot. She looked around for someone to pass to.  
  
"Pan! Over here!" A voice called to her right. She took aim and side-kicked the ball in the direction of the caller. It was Jaime, one of her friends.  
  
Jaime practically picked the ball up with her feet she was so good, and sprinted with it down the field to put it cleanly through the net, yelling a victory cry.  
  
Soccer was one of Pan's favorite sports, besides karate. She loved kicking, competition, and running; it was perfect. Had she known earlier, Pan would not have said so.  
  
For on the side of the field, the football team laughed and joked with each other and looked at all the lady soccer players. Among them was the arrogant Micah, the guy Pan had let off with just a broken nose. Jaime had been playing with the ball, and now she accidentally kicked it too high. It landed right next to Micah.  
  
Micah looked down at his feet to see what had hit him and he motioned to his friends. Pan turned away in disgust. That was a mistake.  
  
"Nice ass Panny!" Unfortunately this was one thing the Saiyan was not prepared for. Micah kicked the soccer ball squarely on her butt. Pan screeched and clutched it. Her face flushed with red-hot anger. All the guys were laughing, even some of the girls.  
  
Pan was so mad she flew in a second over to where he was standing laughing red in the face and said, "Want me to break that nose of yours again Micah? I don't think many girls would go for a crooked nose and a sorry-ass attitude like yours." She walked away in a fume, glowing slightly red.  
  
'Someday, he is really going to get it,' Pan thought, 'What goes around, comes around, as they always say, whoever they is.' At least she was going to see Trunks today, which would cheer her up a little. She could also take her anger out on him without doing any harm. Pan always felt sort of elevated when she was with him, like floating on clouds, but at the same time it was awesome. He was such a cool guy, and really fun to hang out with. Not only that, Pan had placed him on her Top Ten (if you know what I mean). She changed quickly into a pink spaghetti strap and black karate pants and Vans. She trotted out to her car, so as not to keep Trunks waiting.  
  
Trunks saw her Beamer pull into the driveway through the window. A hot girl, and a hot car, couldn't get any better. Trunks jumped out the window and went to open the car door for her.  
  
"Please, come this way, into my humble home." Trunks said jokingly, in a British accent.  
  
Pan played along and responded with a lift of her hand, "Of course, my good sir."  
  
Trunks lifted her hand and kissed it lightly. He felt a surge of energy through his body.  
  
Pan giggled and got out of the car, her hand still in Trunks'. She grabbed her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and shut the door. They made their way to the front door, which was absolutely gargantuan. Trunks opened the gate, and they were let in.  
  
Once inside, Pan marveled at the finery of the house. She had been in here before, but she had been younger. There were marble staircases and grand curtains covering the huge windows at the top of the staircase. It looked out onto a beautiful private lake that seemed more like a painted photograph. Pan gasped and ran her hand along the head of a lion at the stair's base.  
  
Trunks said in response to her reaction, "There's no one here, would you like to slide down on it?" He had a grin on, one much like when he was about to do something insane. Pan nodded eagerly and grinned back.  
  
They ran to the top and Trunks went first, sliding all the way down yelling in delight. Pan perched at the top, waiting for him to stop at the bottom. He motioned to her once he was safely on the ground, "C'mon Pan-chan!"  
  
Pan counted to three then let herself slide easily down the banister, screaming happily all the way. Another unexpected thing happened. Trunks caught her like a baby, one arm under her knees and the other around her shoulders. They both laughed and Pan felt a burst of energy and excitement. Trunks set her down and Pan said, "That was so much fun!" in a sort of girlish way. She became serious and said, "Now we have to train." But the seriousness didn't last long. She burst out laughing once more and Trunks joined in.  
  
They proceeded out to the backyard, which was more like a park with a lake in the center. The wind whipped about them and Pan and Trunks both wondered how they would start. He started stretching and Pan followed suit. That done, they both stood opposite each other, wondering what to do next.  
  
"What should we do now?" Pan asked.  
  
"I suppose we should start," Trunks said dumbly back.  
  
"Okay." And Pan came in with a series of kicks and punches, aiming for the chest. Trunks blocked them and came at her. Pan ducked and swerved and soon they both hovered into the air, moving fast like fast-forwarding a movie. Pan landed a punch on Trunks' cheek. He touched it then zoomed backwards, and charged up.  
  
He turned a glaring yellow and his eyes flickered and changed to blue. His hair flared up as if coming to life and glowed gold.  
  
"Hey! That's not fair!" Pan yelled at him, slightly annoyed because she couldn't become even a Super Saiyan yet. Trunks ignored her and came at he once more, only this time ten times faster, harder, and much more accurate. He grounded a punch into her stomach and Pan gasped for breath, hunching over.  
  
Trunks took the chance and went behind her and put her in a full nelson. He soared with her higher into the air then suddenly dropped her.  
  
Pan regained her breath and stopped her fall midway to the ground. She flew at him and tackled him in the air. Trunks laughed and Pan grew angry. 'Why is he laughing at me?' Pan didn't wait for an answer and pushed him harder until they were over the lake.  
  
Trunks turned the tables on her and grabbed her, pulling them both toward the calm water of the lake. "Don't forget to hold your breath Pan!" He hollered at her in the screaming wind.  
  
Pan last words before plummeting into the lake were, "Trunks! You better not!" But he did. They crashed into the crystal blue water and sunk down. The bubbles cleared and Trunks could now see Pan's sharp features softened under the water. She looked back at his flaming hair and hated him for throwing her in, but loved it at the same time.  
  
Pan reached her arms around as if to hug him, and Trunks welcomed it. But Pan had a trick up her sleeve as well. Embracing him, she hefted with all her strength, the surprised blue-eyed man before her up out of the water.  
  
They hurtled towards the shore, and upon getting there, they both landed side by side on the ground soaked and gasping for breath.  
  
"I can believe you just--." But she was cut short by the usual grin on Trunks' lips as he leaned forward and planted a sweet kiss squarely on Pan's gaping mouth. Her ears were muted to all but the sweet music of the kiss.  
  
Hold me now  
  
I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking  
  
That maybe six feet  
  
Ain't so far down  
  
She was taken aback but not thoroughly surprised and she leaned more into it. Her eyes were closed as Trunks broke the lip-lock.  
  
"Kiss me again please," she whispered dreamily. Trunks put a finger to her mouth to quiet her and kissed her once more. This one was shorter, but just as tasty.  
  
Pan opened her eyes and lay down on the bright, fresh grass under her. Trunks did the same, except putting his hands under his head. They gazed up at the sky and clouds for a while, in comfortable silence. The sun smiled down on them and no words were needed. Trunks shifted so his hand covered hers in a sweet, pleasant way.  
  
Pan could have stayed like this for the rest of the day, but they couldn't. Trunks eventually led her back up to the mansion where they had a drink and said their goodbyes.  
  
At the front door Pan gave Trunks a swift kiss on the cheek and squeezed his hand before letting herself out.  
  
Trunks watched her drive away and he knew many questions would soon pop up. But at the moment, the only legitimate word going through his mind was, 'Wow.'  
  
Good chapter huh? Voice your opinions in that box right there to your left. See it? That's the review box. That small, simple box has to be the most important thing on this site. I do accept anonymous reviews. Please do so. 


	6. Mind and Body

Hey everyone! You're doing a great job giving me reviews but I still don't think it's enough. Please send in more even if you already gave me one! Give me your thoughts on the chapter please, please, please! I do accept anonymous reviews. Please indulge.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ. Let's get to the story shall we?  
  
Chapter 6: Mind and Body  
  
It was Sunday night and Pan was seated around the dinner table with her entire family. Literally. Gohan, Goku, and Goten were all shoveling their food like pigs as usual. Videl and Chi Chi were commenting on the sauce that had marinated the chicken. Pan kept silent, waiting for her chance to intervene in the chomping and conversation. Finally, Chi Chi and Videl took a breath and the boys helped themselves to fourths.  
  
"Ah-hem," Pan said, trying to catch everybody's attention. They all glanced up at her and Videl said, "Yes Pan? What is it?"  
  
"Well, I was wondering if you guys were going to compete in the tournament this year. You know, it's being held right here in Tokyo. Me and Trunks are going to, we've got it all planned out."  
  
"Alright!" Goten yelled, pumping his fist in the air, except his mouth was full of rice, so it was less than graceful. Goten was the youngest beside Pan, so she could relate to him more. She sometimes hung out with him on the weekend. After all, he is her uncle.  
  
Gohan lowered his glasses to take a look at her. "I'm not so sure Pan, we've always had bad turnouts with tournaments. It always gets interrupted by some evildoer. Besides, I've got work to do, and so do you."  
  
Typical Gohan, constantly putting work first. "I've got that worked out as well Dad. Trunks and I have been studying together and my grades have actually gone up rather than go down. Please, Dad? I promise school is my priority." She gave him a look he couldn't turn down.  
  
"I'm sure Pan will keep up with her grades, son. There's no need to worry so much like you do!" Goku put this comment in with a wide grin and laugh like he usually does. As Goku pat Gohan on the back, Gohan was taken by surprise and all the rice in his mouth made him choke. He coughed and glared at his father.  
  
"Woops." Goku said, and everyone at the table laughed except Gohan.  
  
~Week before the tournament~  
  
"Who was the leader of the Communists in the Cold War in America?" Trunks quizzed her, blocking her back fist and hook kick.  
  
"Ummmm, was it Truman?" She defended a blow to her head.  
  
"Wrong." Trunks landed a kick to her gut.  
  
"Oh! Damn it! It was Stalin!" Pan nearly kicked herself for forgetting that one.  
  
"Square root of 225." Trunks came in a blur, and so did the answer in Pan's head.  
  
Tornado kick to the head, and Pan stopped to catch her breath. "Fifteen."  
  
They had been sparring and studying at the same time, a rather clever idea that Pan had come up with herself. It helped her to train, and at the same time train her mind. They were currently in the Capsule Corp Gym, as Bulma was having a dinner party over at Trunks' place. He obviously didn't want to be there, and had opted to come to an evening training session.  
  
There was no one there really, unless you counted the lady up at the front desk, listening to earphones and reading a magazine.  
  
Pan wiped her face off and muttered something about needing to take a shower. Trunks heard her and said, "Use the showers in the locker room. No one will care. I've got to take one myself." He lifted his arms and sniffed them, "No, I really need to take one." They both laughed and headed in opposite directions once they reached the bathrooms.  
  
The shower was hot and steamy, and Pan couldn't help thinking about what would happen if Trunks were to join her. She immediately scolded herself for thinking that way and cast those thoughts from her mind.  
  
Stepping out, wrapped in a towel, she headed towards her clothes. Trunks walked in, and he froze right there. "Oh, Pan, I'm so sorry I thought you were done." He blushed furiously and edged his way out of the room.  
  
Pan chuckled a little at the expression she had seen on Trunks' face. Dressing in shorts and the tube top she had been wearing that day, she dried her hair as dry as it would go, and grabbed her bag and hurried out of the room. She bumped into Trunks in the narrow width of the hall. They were amazingly close. She hadn't kissed him since that time at the lake.  
  
"Oh, sorry," he muttered. His eyes went down, so he didn't have to look in her face.  
  
"Why," she whispered, "are you always so sorry?" He glanced up at her this time and their eyes met.  
  
"I don't know," he whispered back.  
  
She reached up as far as her height would let her and kissed him, smack on the lips. They carried on this way for quite a while, until they stopped for a breath, and Pan said she had to go.  
  
Trunks walked after her, his eyes following every movement of her body. 'There's no way any woman could have that many nice curves,' he thought.  
  
Pan said good night to the lady at the desk and she and Trunks headed out the door, the stars finally starting to show themselves.  
  
Good chapter? Yes? No? Maybe so? Please voice your ever so wonderful opinions in that box right there. This was an extra long chapter, I usually don't write long chapters, but in return you have to give me a review. Go on, it's right there! Don't be shy! lol, jk 


	7. Relocate to America

What's up all my reviewers! Sorry I haven't updated in a while! Please send me reviews and I do accept anonymous! On with the chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ  
  
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Chapter 7: Relocate to America  
  
"Pan?" Her mother, Videl, peeked her head into the door. Pan was sitting on her bed, completing her homework for the evening.  
  
"Hi Mom. What's up? Hold on I'm almost finished," She said, her pencil scribbling fast. When she was done, she set her books down and looked up. Her mother had come in and settled herself on the window seat.  
  
"I have some bad news hun."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"The tournament has been relocated because they couldn't get the owner of the ring to lease it to them this year. They had some troubles and decided not to cancel but relocate," Videl replied.  
  
"Oh," This was bad news to Pan. What if they couldn't make it to the tournament? All that work would be for nothing. "Well, where is it then?"  
  
"The committee decided that they didn't want to keep it in Japan, they were so mad. Your Grandfather Hercule has more connections than you know, and he told us that the tournament is taking place in two weeks so they can get set up," Videl said.  
  
"Ya, but you still didn't answer my question," Pan persisted. What was going on?  
  
There was hesitation in her mother's eyes but she spoke anyway, "It's being held in the United States, in California to be exact, and Gohan and I are don't know if we should go."  
  
"Oh my gosh, really? Are you kidding me? Mom, please, please, please can we still go? This is so cool! Please?!" Pan was so excited. She had never traveled half way around the world before! She had heard all sorts of stories of America, but she never dreamt of going there so soon.  
  
Videl put up her hands and said laughing, "Ok, ok, calm down!" Her daughter obviously could not contain her excitement. "I'll talk it over with your father okay? Is that a compromise?" She stood up to leave and Pan got up with her.  
  
"Okay!" Pan said a little too eagerly.  
  
"It would be nice to have a little family vacation," Videl said as she was heading out the door, and this only made Pan happier. A vacation with Trunks! Pan ran and hugged her mother, barely able to stop laughing.  
  
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After her mom left and Pan was able to settle down, she flopped onto her bed, thoughts and pictures floating into her head. She could imagine it now: lying on a beach chair on the coasts of Cali, clad in a tiny bikini with Trunks lying next to her.  
  
She giggled; another thought of her winning the tournament was tempting. Holding up the magnificent trophy and Trunks kissing her as a reward. Either one satisfied her.  
  
She quickly telephoned Bra and then Marron. Krillin, 18, and Marron were currently living in Osaka, south of Tokyo. Their family had wanted to move and travel, rather than stay in the same place, also due to the fact that 18 was pregnant once again. Pan hadn't spoken to Marron in a while, but this was definitely a time to call.  
  
Bra was ecstatic and couldn't wait; she didn't fight as much as Pan, although she reckoned Bra's potential was bigger than her own, her own father being the Prince Vegeta. If this was to be a true vacation, they wanted a family reunion, because you obviously couldn't go wrong with California!  
  
Pan didn't have to call Trunks; he called her immediately after her conversation with Bra. Pan had yet to tell Bra about the two of them, and she made a mental note to mention it next time. Trunks had heard the news from Bra, and he was just as excited. Even though he was a businessman in the making, he always had time for fun.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At dinner that night, Pan was nervous. She wouldn't be able to bear it if her dad said they couldn't go. Everyone was silent, it was only herself, Mom, and Dad. Goten had opted for a night out in the clubs, and Goku instant transmissioned himself to his own home.  
  
Their own home was not stationed in the middle of nowhere, they had moved since a few years ago, they lived closer to Vegeta's home and Capsule Corporation, more in the suburbs. The Corp. needed room to expand so they had gone into the less populated areas of Tokyo.  
  
Pan couldn't wait, so she decided to start the conversation herself. "So, ummm..Dad, has Mom told you about the tournament yet?"  
  
Gohan looked at her from his food, his glasses hanging on the edge of his nose. He took them off and said, "Well, yes she did and I've been thinking. I'm not sure if it's a good idea." He stopped there, leaving Pan not knowing what to think.  
  
"And?" she practically squeaked.  
  
"It's Goku and Chi chi's 40th wedding anniversary the weekend of the tournament."  
  
Once that sentence was over, Pan knew she was doomed.  
  
But he continued, "And I thought it would be great if we all celebrated it on the beaches of California."  
  
Pan sat there, stunned. She had expected a rejection. But she quickly regained control of herself and screamed, and ran and gave her dad a hearty hug. "Yes!"  
  
"Now Pan," her mother said, smiling, "Don't get carried away, and don't forget to spend some of your time on the beach with your old folks, not just your girlfriends and Trunks." At this she gave a grin, and Gohan looked up from his food again and glanced at both of them. "What?" He said.  
  
Both girls burst out laughing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
That's all folks! I know this was a blah blah blah informational chapter but I promise the next will be better. This was just to fill in the gaps of what is to come. Even though I'm taking away the Japan part of the story, the American tournament will be really good. As always, I request that you send me a review. I know what I want to happen but I would appreciate your ideas for this story!  
Luv always,  
Sarah 


	8. Stars in the Sky

Hello Everybody. Enjoying the fic? I hope you are. But I kindly request that more of you review, even multiple times. I do accept anonymous reviews.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 8: Stars in the Sky  
  
"Now boarding: Tokyo, Japan to Richmond, Virginia, United States of America. First class passengers please have your tickets ready at the check." The monotone voice boomed across Section B-13 at the National Airport of Japan.  
  
It was really a family reunion. They must have booked a quarter of the plane to accommodate all of the Son's friends and family. There was of course Goku and Chi-chi, and their offspring, Goten, who had brought his girlfriend, Gohan, Videl, and Pan. Bulma and Vegeta were there, with their own children, Trunks and Bra. Krillin, Marron, and the pregnant 18 had met them at the airport.  
  
So they were quite a sight, what with all the breakfast sandwiches the men had bought and were chowing down on. 18, Videl, and Chi-chi were conversing about airplane tickets and the time they were to arrive in California. They would stop in Virginia once with a layover of two hours, and it being six- thirty in the morning, they would not actually arrive there until sometime the next day.  
  
Bra, Marron, and Pan were having their own little chat, and were delighted to see each other after such a long time. They hadn't been together since Marron's family had moved away, nearly over a year ago. They all dismissed the announcement over the loudspeaker, as they were certainly not first class.  
  
"So, Pan, I hear you and Trunks are pretty close," Marron said with a flip of her neatly trimmed, short, blonde hair.  
  
Pan gave a little humph and an accusing glare over at Bra. Bra giggled and then laughed. "Ya, I guess you could say that." But Pan couldn't help the grin that spread over her lips.  
  
"Tell us everything," Marron said, and they all huddled in close, and Pan told them all about their first kiss and Trunks walking in on her in the locker room.  
  
"That is so romantic!" Bra said, her eyes wide.  
  
"Have you guys been on a date yet?" Marron inquired.  
  
"Not yet, but when we do.." Pan trailed off, imagining them making out, Trunks' hand on her hip.  
  
But her daydream was cut short by the announcement of their rows.  
  
"Rows 23 through 33 now boarding. Please have your tickets ready."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Everyone stumbled out of the walkway and collapsed in the terminal seats. They were currently in Virginia, their first flight over, and all extremely exhausted. Little groups of the 14 people went off in their own direction, heading for their preferred refreshments and the bathrooms. The airport was practically empty save for the Japan flight.  
  
Eventually, the tired group went to Terminal C to wait off the remaining hour and a half layover. Goku was well asleep by the time they were ready to board. This flight was smaller, with only half as much people on this flight than the last. So the seats were in twos and the girls were deciding where to sit.  
  
"I'm taking a-a-a-a window, guys," Bra yawned as she spoke and plopped into the seat. Marron sat next to her. Goten was seated with his girlfriend, and the couples together. This left Trunks and Pan. Pan blushed as she looked at her remaining passenger. Trunks grinned and said, "After you," using his hand to gesture toward the window seat.  
  
"Thanks," she replied, gathering her courage and sitting in the seat. She was overtired and her brain was only half working.  
  
Once everyone was settled the plane took off into the night sky, the stars twinkling merrily as Pan gazed out the window. Clouds suddenly obscured her vision and she judged it was time to sleep.  
  
"I'm so tired," she said half to herself. Trunks heard her and put the armrest up. Pan undid her seat belt and not thinking, practically fell into Trunks' muscular arms. They fell asleep like that together, both at peace, nothing to worry about. Pan murmured a good night and Trunks kissed her softly on the lips. That was when they both fell into a mutual slumber.  
  
~I'm looking down now that it's over  
  
Reflecting on all of my mistakes  
  
I thought I found the road to somewhere  
  
Somewhere in His grace~  
  
"Gohan, look," Videl said, nudging her husband awake and pointing. "Isn't that sweet? They look so peaceful and happy together."  
  
Gohan rubbed his eyes and looked in the way his wife was pointing. Was that Trunks and Pan sleeping together? He stiffened a little but relaxed when Videl put a hand on his arm. "Imagine that, Gohan. Trunks and Pan." 


	9. Trunks?

Hey Everyone! I just want to thank all my reviewers! I definitely count on you guys to give me feedback and ideas!  
  
Alex l-p- you were always one to critique me ;)  
SSJ5Tigger- thanks guys for reviewing twice!  
Missa5- thanks for reviewing twice!  
Yokiko Pan-thanks for reviewing  
The Amazing Sponge- thanks!  
Panny2- I promise it'll be a lot more conflicting as the story goes on  
Pan-Chan42- secrets, secrets  
Lulu- thanks!  
Leena Chan-thanks!  
Trunks- never thought about it that way, thanks!  
Tsa1- thanks!  
Renee30- short and sweet  
KittenAngel1403- thanks!  
  
Enough talk! On with the tournament!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 9: Trunks?  
  
Slap!  
  
"Ow!" Pan removed the hand that was slung on her face. Bra definitely had some sleeping problems. She pushed her off and climbed out of bed. She stumbled to the window and opened the curtains. A giant, bustling city stared back at her. The ocean was like a picture from a T.V. It all looked incredibly authentic. But it was real. Pan gasped as the colors and people filled her vision. It really was different compared to Tokyo. Hundreds of brightly clad clothing and people were ants down below from their suite way up in the sky.  
  
She grabbed a pillow from the lounge chair and threw it at Bra. She grabbed the other one and threw it at Marron on the other bed. "Whaaaaaaaaat, it's only...10:45. Pan, don't you have any consideration for others?"  
  
"Come look at this view, guys!"  
  
Marron got up and rubbed her eyes. She walked over to where Pan was still gazing, mesmerized, by the view. "Ya, that is really pretty. What are we planning to do today anyway?"  
  
Before Pan could answer, Bra came over and said with her shoulders slumped, "What? I don't see anything."  
  
Pan remembered Bra had probably already been to California and everywhere else Pan hadn't. Bra was unbelievably smart, and spent majority of her time pouring over books and research in her mother's lab. She was also a social butterfly, flirting with guys whenever the chance arose. Marron, on the other hand, was shyer than Pan or Bra. She didn't fight or spar at all. She kept to herself when she could, but when she hung out with her comrades, you truly see her wild self.  
  
"Never mind," Pan said, releasing her thoughts. "I thought maybe we'd see the town today. You know, walk around, pick up guys, and..."  
  
"Shopping!" The other two girls cried in unison.  
  
Once everyone had dressed, Marron in a flowery skirt, Bra in a short jean skirt, and Pan in jeans and red spaghetti straps, they all made their way down to the lobby and stopped at a coffee stand by the door. Talking excitedly the chattering girls reached the pier.  
  
"Hey!" Pan called, "There's Goten and what's her name again? Kathy? Kandy?"  
  
"It's Kass," Marron said in a kind of dull tone. Pan had only a second to dwell on this peculiar act when Goten spotted them and they met up near the ticket stand to the rides.  
  
"Hey guys, whatsup?"  
  
"Not much, we're just out for a little sightseeing and shopping," Bra replied, her usual happy twinkle in her eyes.  
  
"Hey Bra, you look great today, it's nice to finally see you out of the lab." Goten smiled, but Kass grabbed his hand in a kind of possessive way at the same time. She was what Pan would think of as a gold digger girlfriend, she just had that kind of feeling. Her obviously fake blond hair, one of those things only other girls seem to notice, high heels, and a shorter skirt than Bra.  
  
"Uh, thanks, um, hey you guys are welcome to join us if you want," Bra replied, glancing at the possessive moment Kass had displayed so openly.  
  
"No thanks, me and Goten are just going to hang out alone for a bit. So, if you don't mind." She pulled Goten as if to start walking, and the poor guy had no other choice but to follow.  
  
"But, but..." These were Goten's last words, as Pan saw his eyes travel down to Kass's tight butt as she dragged him along.  
  
Marron looked furious. "Bitch."  
  
"I'll see ya later, Dad." Trunks had just finished morning training and had showered quickly and dressed. He planned to walk the streets today and grab some coffee at Starbucks, maybe even a little meal to counter his huge breakfast of hot cakes this morning.  
  
Trunks didn't know it, guys never do, but he looked rather stunning after just training. His muscles still bulged and every girl's head turned to him, regardless if they already had a partner. Since Trunks failed to notice this, he also failed to notice the group of cute girls following him. One of them finally got the nerve to talk to him.  
  
A red headed girl in tight white pants walked ahead of him so that she was in front of him at the street crossing, waiting for the walk sign. She pulled the old bend and snap, and reached down to get her lip gloss, revealing a lacy red thong halfway up her butt (A/N I hate that, don't you?). Getting up she "accidentally" knocked into Trunks.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching what I was doing," she said.  
  
"No problem," was all Trunks said. But the girl persisted.  
  
"I'm Ashley. and you're...?"  
  
"Uh, Trunks, nice to meet you."  
  
"You're so polite, I like that in a man," she said in a rather sexy voice.  
  
Trunks just blushed.  
  
"Would you like to join me for lunch? I was just heading over to Starbucks for a nice, refreshing cup," She smiled, and even though guilty images of Pan kept crossing his mind, he still said yes.  
  
"Great! Let's go!" Ashley grabbed his hand and they crossed the busy San Diego street.  
  
Laden with bags, the trio stood at the very street crossing Trunks and Ashley had been at only 20 minutes before. Conflict glimmered in the future.  
  
"Guys, I say we call it quits for now," Bra said, hefting her bags to her other arm.  
  
"Ya, me too," Marron picked up her own bags from the ground as the walk sign flashed on.  
  
"Okay, let's stop and get some lunch," Pan suggested.  
  
They neared the quaint little coffeehouse and Pan thought she saw purple hair leaving a table to go inside.  
  
Inside however, Pan saw no such hair. She set her bags down and let the other girls order for her. Nature called.  
  
Marron ordered when purple hair caught her eye walking out of the men's bathroom.  
  
"Trunks?"  
  
Bra whipped around and mimicked her, "Trunks?"  
  
"Hey guys, what's happening? Stopped in for lunch, I see. See you around." Trunks walked out the door.  
  
"Wait, who would he be here with?" Something wasn't right. Bra went to peek out the window. Trunks was seated with a red headed girl that looked quite interested in him, by the way her fingers kept playing with his. "Oh my gosh, Marron, we can't let Pan see them!"  
  
At that moment, Pan came out of the bathroom, wringing her hands with the excess water. "So what's for lunch?"  
  
"Uhhh, we're still ordering."  
  
"Well, I'll go get us a table outside."  
  
Marron blocked her way out. "Ummm, well, me and Bra are kinda tired so we want to stay inside, in the air conditioning." She looked rather hopeful.  
  
"Guys, it's beautiful out. C'mon I'll get us a table in the shade." And Pan went out the door, Bra and Marron after her.  
  
What's eating them? Pan thought, but her thoughts were quickly wiped away by the scene before her.  
  
"Trunks?"  
  
I hope I'm not drawing this out too long, but I promise it'll be good. Sorry for not updating in a while, I had finals. You all know how that is. Well, I'm up and typing again, and since I'm on holiday break, a few chapters will probably make it to the internet in the next couple of weeks. Please keep on reviewing!  
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 


	10. Never Trust a Saiyan

What's cookin' everybody? Everyone have a good holiday? Great! Now, let's get back to the story!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 10: Never Trust a Saiyan  
  
Trunks turned around. His mouth dropped open. "Pan? What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'd like to ask you the same question," she replied. What was going on? Hadn't they kissed and fallen asleep together on the plane? Was it all a silly dream?  
  
He suddenly turned defensive. "I am eating lunch with my friend, Ashley. We met up at a street crossing and she invited me to lunch. Do you have a problem with that, Pan?"  
  
Ashley did her best to look innocent, batting her pretty eyelashes at Trunks.  
  
Pan was uncertain of what to say. She knew she had a temper, but she also knew she couldn't release it in front of everybody. She was better than that. "No," she said icily, and with a quick twist of her head, she motioned to her friends, "We'll see you later Trunks." And with that they were gone, leaving Trunks and Ashley in silence.  
  
Trunks had seen that lifeless blue stare, and it indeed chilled him, as she had intended it to. Ashley was still clutching his hand, and looked at him with puppy eyes. "That wasn't very nice of them, do you know them Trunks?"  
  
"Yes, but they aren't very important. So, where did you say you live?"  
  
~  
  
Pan was infuriated; the three girls had walked back to their hotel and ordered Chinese food up to their room.  
  
"I can't believe Trunks would do something like that," Marron said, "he's always been so kind and considerate."  
  
"Ya, that girl must have really turned him on," Bra commented.  
  
Pan said nothing. She wasn't sure if it had been that big of an ordeal. After all, what if they were just friends, like Trunks said? Could she trust him? No, she thought. You can't trust a saiyan. She voiced her thoughts aloud to her friends, who reacted as though Trunks had had sex with her or something.  
  
"No way, Pan!" Bra said, "This was bigger, he was having lunch with her for god's sakes!"  
  
"Don't take any chances, hun," Marron agreed, "You should ask him what that was all about today, and figure out what's going through his head."  
  
Pan was resolved to find out. So later in the day, while everyone went up for dinner, Pan stopped Trunks as he was coming out of his room across from theirs.  
  
"Trunks, what was up with that girl today? You're not.. .um... serious about her, are you?" Pan looked up hopefully into Trunks' eyes, and he had to lie to her.  
  
"I'm sorry about the way I acted, Pan," Trunks apologized, "There isn't anything really going on. I'm really sorry if I led you to think that. She just invited me to lunch, that's all. Now why don't we go join the others before they eat all the food?" He smiled then, but Pan saw through it.  
  
What's he thinking, she wondered. There's a lie behind those beautiful eyes of his, I know it. ~  
  
The next day was spent training and preparing for the tournament. Today was Friday, the day before the much-anticipated tournament. Tomorrow it would be held, and then on Sunday everyone would relax, and Monday they would celebrate Chi chi and Goku's anniversary. They wouldn't leave until Wednesday, because the day before the wives had planned a special excursion to Disneyland.  
  
When all of the girls had sparred each other, and every other possible person, except for Pan, who refused to fight Trunks, they all realized how sweaty and smelly they all were, and everyone went up to shower. Pan was exhausted, she had sparred her Uncle Goten and even Grandpa Goku. Her other grandpa, Hercule, no one would see until the beginning of the tournament tomorrow.  
  
Pan saw Trunks disappear right before everyone stopped at Chipotle for dinner. Bra came over and saw him leave too.  
  
"He's got a date. I overheard him and Goten talking. Goten wished him luck, the bastard," Bra looked at Pan to see how she would react.  
  
"Oh, he does, does he?" And she walked away to go speak with her mother.  
  
Dinner had been fantastic, the excitement running high and everyone was laughing and having a good time. Except for Pan. She put on a happy face and responded to questions, but other than that, she picked at her food.  
  
"May I be excused?" Pan asked her mother. "I just want to take a walk, I promise I won't be late."  
  
"Sure, go ahead," her mother had a questioning, curious look in her eyes, but she knew not to probe Pan any further. She knew what it felt like to be in love, and her daughter obviously was.  
  
Pan walked out into the starry night, thinking about how beautiful it was, and how happy she was to be in America. Everything about this city was intriguing, and every new thought burst into a hundred new questions. She got the answers to some, but most of the time she was left to imagine the solutions to the others.  
  
Pan clutched her coat tighter to her body, for it was chilly out. Cold. That was the look Pan had given Trunks yesterday. Inside she knew he deserved it, but she couldn't help feeling guilty anyway. She decided to look for Trunks and his new friend to apologize. She didn't know if it was worth anything, but if she wanted to stay friends with the saiyan, she would have to.  
  
She walked along the sidewalk, gazing at the people who were still up and partying. Some were drunk, and others were in fancy restaurants, politely talking with some foreign businessmen and showing off their wives in their fine dresses and jewelry. Even more people were standing next to the railing, making out with boyfriends or girlfriends. Speaking of which, isn't that purple and red hair? She couldn't really tell since it was dark out and their heads were smushed together like marshmallows.  
  
Pan crept closer for a better look; just to reassure herself it wasn't who she hoped it wasn't. But alas, it was. There they were, without a care in the world. Ashley's hand was on his butt, his hands entangled in her hair.  
  
I cried out heaven save me  
  
But I'm down to one last breath  
  
And with it let me say  
  
Let me say  
  
Hold me now  
  
I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking  
  
That maybe six feet  
  
Ain't so far down  
  
She was a few feet away when she felt her heart truly break and all her guards were let down. "Oh..my..god.." she heard herself say weakly. Her hand was over her mouth in horror.  
  
"What?" Trunks broke his lip lock and noticed she was there. "Oh my god, Pan! I didn't see you there! It's not what it looks like I swear!"  
  
Pan was shocked to feel the warm trickle of tears starting to fall down her face. Again. She couldn't believe it. It couldn't be real. Again. He had done it again.  
  
"Please, listen to me!" Pan heard his voice, but it was far away, as if in the distance. She turned and ran; she couldn't take it anymore.  
  
Never trust a saiyan. 


	11. Piccolo

Thanks for all the fantastic reviews guys! I really appreciate it! I'm glad you get the feelings from the story. That's really what I'm aiming for. Please review and recommend me to your friends! Thanks a lot and here is the story!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z.  
  
Last time: Pan caught Trunks and Ashley making out on the railing next to the beach.  
  
Chapter 11: Piccolo  
  
Pan walked in the door to the concerned faces of Marron and Bra. She went right by them as Marron asked, "Pan, is everything all right?"  
  
Pan paid her no heed and went past her to the bathroom, where she locked the door without a word.  
  
"Whoa, did you see her or was it just me?" Marron said, bewildered.  
  
"It was like she was on fire," Bra replied. ~  
  
Everyone woke up real early the next morning. Silently they dressed. Marron was not taking part, but Bra decided to give it a try. She was clad in turquoise blue karate pants with a white gi. Pan was wearing her trusty black karate pants and one of those orange and blue shirts that Goku wears, except black. Her pants didn't bunch up at the bottom either; they went straight down. Bra tied her hair into a ponytail, while Pan let her angled ebony hair fall over her shoulders. They indeed, when put together, were yin and yang. Not to say Pan's intentions were evil, just merciless.  
  
Trooping down to breakfast, which would only consist of a slice of toast for the fighters, Gohan looked at his daughter with suspicion. Whatever Trunks did to Pan, Gohan thought, he's going to pay for it now. No use in interfering.  
  
Pan barely ate, concentrating and meditating for the tournament to come. Normally there would be chitchat aplenty, but everyone could feel the tension between Trunks and Pan. It took everything she had to keep from launching at him now. She noticed Trunks did not have his precious blade with him. Weapons were banded; it was all hand-to-hand combat. What Pan was best at. She was glad for the tournament, for it gave her a punching bag, one she could go all out on, and no one would think anything less of her for it.  
  
The drive there (flying would be too conspicuous) was easier, since the hotheads were separated. Talk was more frequent, and Pan was relaxed and excited within the company of her friends.  
  
"Would all contestants please come to the front desks to sign in. Then proceed to the waiting area under the headquarters. All spectators please have cash or check ready at the paying booth. The preliminaries start in approximately thirty minutes." The loudspeaker boomed overhead.  
  
People were running around, looking for lost children, buying refreshments, or finding seats. The ring looked just like it did in Japan. It was plain concrete, no fences or guards. It was surrounded by grass as green as a Namek's skin. People were filling into the stands, it was a huge tournament and at least a thousand people were there to see the fights. At the fourth side of the ring there was a building where fighters could refresh themselves and where Hercule resided. It was all outdoor, with no coverings except under the building where the waiting area for the participators. The rules were standard; a K.O.* and T.K.O.* earned a victory and any opponent touching the grass is win by default. No killing or weapons of any kind. Any violation to the rules results in disqualification.  
  
The three families walked among the rushing crowd.  
  
"Hey, it's Goku!" A familiar voice cried. Ahead of them were Tien, Chaotzu, Yamcha, and the unmistakable Piccolo. Cries of greeting were loud and happy. Gohan was ecstatic to see Piccolo, his former teacher and present friend.  
  
"I'm really glad to see you, Piccolo," Pan's father said, shaking the green man's hand. "Are you planning on entering?"  
  
"Ya, actually I---" But he was cut off by someone transporting next to them. It was the Supreme Kai and Kabuto.  
  
"Greetings, friends. Sorry to drop in on you so suddenly but we couldn't resist another tournament," Kai said.  
  
"Hey! Supreme Kai! What's up!" It was Goku, waving to him.  
  
"See you later Gohan, Piccolo." He nodded to them.  
  
Once all the hellos had been said, they were called for their preliminaries, and everyone passed. Pan still hadn't spoken to Trunks, nor he to her. Not that it mattered. Sparring doesn't need words, only instinct. The first rounds were chosen; this was by far the biggest tournament she had ever seen. Have you ever played Budokai? Well, it's like two of the Adept tournaments. That's rather big. Here were the pairings displayed on the board:  
Trunks vs. Yamcha  
Red Blood Bob vs. Tien  
Krillin vs. Justice John  
Hercule vs. Bra  
Piccolo vs. Pan  
Doomsday Dan vs. #18  
Muscular Manny vs. Goten  
Vegeta vs. Goku  
  
Piccolo? Well, this should definitely be interesting, thought Pan. Wasn't Piccolo fused with another Namek, Nail? Wait, isn't he also fused with the late Kami? She looked nervously over at the green man. He stared at the board unblinkingly. She gulped.  
  
And so the Worldwide Martial Arts Tournament of San Diego, California began. Trunks stepped up first with Yamcha. They were a slight blur, but Pan caught them with her eyes nonetheless. The fight ended when Trunks punched Yamcha out of the ring into a wall. The crowd cheered mad.  
  
A man in all red, one Red Blood Bob, was up next fighting Tien. One look at Tien's third eye and the man forfeited. Pan didn't blame him. That thing swiveled around like Mad-Eye Moody. Krillin beat another man with a cape and American flag with ease.  
  
When Bra's match came, surprisingly, or rather, not so surprisingly, Hercule was announced severely sick and had called for professional, medical attention. Bra was declared default winner, of which she was not very happy.  
  
Finally it was Pan's turn. She eyed Piccolo again, looking for some kind of weakness. She found none.  
  
~ **** K.O. - knock out T.K.O. - technical knock out ~  
  
Okay, that's it for now and I know you guys are probably disappointed, but I am already writing the next chapter. I know exactly what's going to happen and I suggest you all be patient and check back every now and then. I'm really excited about this, so stay with me. I'm counting on a few reviews so please press that little "Go" button!  
  
-Rite4ever 


	12. Adrenaline

I have to say guys; this is one of my more prided chapters. It's a total fight sequence, no blood and gore mind you, but the overall chapter I like. I'm pretty sure you will too, so make sure you give me a review. I'm already getting tons of them now, and I thank you all for it. Keep them coming in though, I really appreciate it.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ. ~  
  
Chapter 12: Adrenaline  
  
Pan barely heard the announcement: "Our next match, Piccolo versus Pan! Would the contestants please come into the center of the ring!"  
  
She tried to come to grips with herself. Why was she so nervous? It was just sparring anyway, just in front of what had to be a thousand people..  
  
She clenched her fists and was about to walk into the sunlight when a hand caught her shoulder. It was light purple. She turned around to face the Supreme Kai.  
  
"Pan, I would like to wish you luck," Kai said.  
  
"Thank you, sir," Pan said, unsure of what she should do. Should she bow?  
  
"There is no need to be so formal," he replied, as if reading her thoughts. Then again perhaps he could. "Piccolo is a formidable opponent, but you can defeat him, if you've the will." She doubted that. He continued, "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us," It was here he touched her heart, beating rather rapidly, but slowing down to his touch.  
  
"Just remember that, Pan, and you will do wonderfully," then he walked away, and disappeared. Now how did he do that?  
  
Pan had but a moment to think about quotes and disappearing acts because they announced her name again and she sprinted out into the center of the ring. Cheers reached her ears, and she looked up and around, thousands of people stared down at her. She grinned. She suddenly felt a lot more excited.  
  
Piccolo stood before her and the host was between them. "Fighting stances! Ready..Guard!"  
  
Rush of adrenaline, Piccolo charging at her, and her mind telling her body exactly what to do. She charged him back, both screaming to increase their energy. They met head on, and in a continuation of blocks, punches, and kicks; they fought, Piccolo rather surprised, and Pan challenged. Piccolo jumped out of the blur, doing a back flip as his exit. Catching Pan off guard, Piccolo stopped his midway flip and kicked her instead, in the face.  
  
"Ahhhh!" She clutched her nose, but wiped the blood away and charged him again. But she changed direction, hoping Piccolo would miss her. He didn't; he came up right in front of her, and she was taken aback once more. She did a quick cartwheel to the side and gave a ki blast at the green man. It hit him and he swore.  
  
With great speed he punched her and she slid across the ground, and Piccolo rose into the air and did a flurry of ki blasts at her. Nine times it hit her, but it was yet to be over. Piccolo charged up and threw a big one at her, one that would surely rattle her brains. She didn't enter to be beaten by her father's trainer; she entered to win. And beat Trunks. She raised her own power level and retaliated against Piccolo's yellow beam of light and energy.  
  
"Kamehame..ha!" And her grandfather's favorite move came screaming out of her hands as she thrust them forward. But something was wrong. All wrong. The supposedly blue light was not present, but a red with black edging had taken its place. She was confused for a milli- second, but then regained her wits and put her back into the power.  
  
Now the yellow and red battled each other, a white sparking where the two colors met. Pan grinned; this was fabulous. She couldn't have imagined a better fight. But it was over, she was positive. Screaming once more, she put another bit of energy into the blast and that was all that it needed. Piccolo was engulfed in the red, yet she knew it wouldn't damage him that much, it would do only what she required. And that was to put him out of the ring.  
  
When a boom rang out and the dust finally cleared, Piccolo sat on the grass on the right side of Pan, his arms up in a sign of guard. He was smoking but appeared to be fine. The crowd erupted into cheers that made even the angels look down from their clouds.  
  
"Oh my gosh! That was amazing! A spectacular performance! Congratulations Pan, you advance to the next round!" Those had to be the most beautiful and comforting words Pan had heard in a long time.  
  
"Yes," she breathed, and she hopped down from the ring and went to give Piccolo a hand.  
  
"Thanks," he grunted, and then grinned. "That has to be one of the more interesting fights I've ever had. It felt like I was sparring Gohan again, back when he was your age. A good run for my money."  
  
She laughed, "Thanks, all in the family, I guess. Come on; let's go get a seat. #18 is up next." After that, Pan would learn that Piccolo was indeed a very good friend, and a good one to have, too. He was practically an uncle, and she felt completely comfortable with him.  
  
A man named Doomsday Dan fought with Number 18; he lasted about five minutes before Krillin's wife got bored. She knocked him unconscious, probably tired of all the ring outs. He would have a fine bruise on his head, but nothing else except broken pride.  
  
As the host announced #18's victory, Pan wondered how her next match would go. #18 was indeed powerful and crafty, but Pan had the determination to outlast a tornado. There was no way Pan was going to let the android win. She was certainly not going to be swept away to the Land of Oz. It would be her opponent who would end up on the other side of the rainbow.  
  
~  
  
Good chapter? I thought so. If you do, or even if you didn't, please click that box in the left hand corner and send me a review! 


	13. Out of the Ring

Okay guys. I may not have written in a while, but I did expect some reviews. I did get some, and those who reviewed thank you. I know Michelle18 just finished her story, and I too have been focused on her stuff. But I was extremely disappointed when I opened my mail and all I saw was junk. Yes, school has started, but its not an excuse to forgetting to give me a 30 second review. If it's too much trouble, I understand, I have a lot going on too, but please try to review. Thanks, and I hope you like the chapter. A big twist is coming!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball GT  
  
~  
  
Chapter 13: Out of the Ring  
  
Pan took a swig from her water bottle. The water was a blessing, for her mouth was parched and dry. She stood at the edge of the shaded area, watching the competitors. Up next was her humorous uncle, Goten. His opponent, formidable he may look, was Muscular Manny. She almost choked on her water as the name came over the loudspeaker:  
  
"Our next competitors, Goten and ....Manny? Muscular Manny! Will you please come to the center of the ring!"  
  
Goten walked passed her and said, "Wish me luck, kid!"  
  
"Ya, like you need it," She said, unsure if he heard her.  
  
She then heard his laughter, so she guessed he had.  
  
Muscular Manny was very muscular indeed. His arms, legs, and abdomens bulged. Any woman would have groveled at his feet. But he was slow, terribly sluggish, Pan observed, it seemed he hadn't figured out that speed and endurance were just as important as strength of arms.  
  
Suddenly she felt another presence approach her. This one she knew, unlike the Supreme Kai, who came and went whenever he pleased. She turned around and saw that it was Trunks.  
  
"Mr. Muscular isn't doing too well, wouldn't you say?" Trunks came up beside her.  
  
"He is a fool, but an honest one. He did what he was best at, and didn't cheat," she paused there, savoring the effect of her words, " This fight is over." And a minute later the fight ended, Manny slumped over in a pile of rubble at the base of the stands like a rag doll.  
  
The next bout was highly anticipated; everyone knew about the not-so- friendly rivalry between Vegeta and Goku. The two fighters, however, were completely relaxed. Vegeta stood silent, and Goku had his game face on. They were announced, and both flew out into the arena.  
  
"Ready...Guard!"  
  
Every participator stood on the sidelines as Vegeta and Goku soared into the sky. They became tiny specks, save for the golden flare on each of them, and they knew they had both reached Super Saiyan level. Both only went to SS2 for now, even though higher levels could be reached.  
  
When they came straight down they were locked hand to hand. As their feet hit the ground, cracks along the surface of the floor opened, and small craters were made directly under their feet.  
  
All of this the host commentated on, and the crowd cheered for more; eating the fight up, and drowning out all other sounds. They might not have known what was going on, but they liked it.  
  
Both of the men's hair was a mountain of spikes. Their icy blue eyes were like a cold chill on your back. But these features Pan saw as beautiful, intriguing, and their movement graceful. They went into a flurry of fighting, disappearing and reappearing in a different place. Pan could not wait to have that power, to feel it tingling her fingers and giving her energy, like caffeine. So many others of her relation or not had that power. They were either whole or half-blood saiyan. Soon, for she knew it was coming, she would show them that a female quarter saiyan could be just as strong as any man.  
  
~  
  
Goku was extremely pleased with the way the fight was going. He knew both he and Vegeta were in a state of bliss. Not an all out power fight, but it was still felt good to go all out. He smiled at the thought of an all out power fight, imagining giant craters and smoke clouds.  
  
They were nearing the edge of the ring. Goku always hated that rule, no matter how fair it was. If you're hit out of some stupid boundaries you automatically lose. Vegeta was pushing him, knowing he'd get out of it and continue.  
  
Flash of a face----  
  
Eyes-----  
  
A clown.  
  
What?  
  
A line connected in Goku's brain for a second to the evil force. He heard a laugh; it was waiting for him.  
  
Waiting for him?  
  
He felt a ping in his head, then something worse. A blow to the gut. "Uff," he grunted, and suddenly had the sensation of flying, as he had done so many times before. But, he landed on his behind. The darkness in his mind cleared, and he stared at shock at the grass in between his legs.  
  
"Kakarot! What was that?! Since when do you let your guard down?!"  
  
Vegeta's voice rang in his ears.  
  
The world seemed to stop. All except for the commentator's words, "Whoa! A fantastic feat of strength! Goku was knocked out of the ring, leaving us with our winner, and the end of the first rounds! Congratulations, Vegeta!"  
  
The crowd cheered, but Goku was thoroughly confused. What had that been, that had interrupted his fight so abruptly? It was evil, well, that was obvious.  
  
"Dad! What happened?"  
  
Gohan appeared at his side, wearing the face of his father. Goku stood up, and rubbed his temples. "Gohan, it was something evil. Horrible. Scary even."  
  
"Kakarot, what did you see?" Vegeta joined them.  
  
Goku led the two men to the waiting area. Piccolo and the Supreme Kai joined them as well.  
  
"I felt it too," Kai said, and Goku lifted his eyebrows.  
  
"I don't think the others did though, why did you?"  
  
"I have a very keen sixth sense, you might say. Also, Goku, I think it is after you." 


	14. Bra's Chapter

Hey everyone! I take all of your reviews seriously and I realized you were right. ^__^ I didn't put a lot of emotion into that chapter. Pan and Trunks were supposedly giving each other the silent treatment. Sorry, I didn't make that clear. I will definitely take your advice in later chapters. Sorry and thanks again.  
  
In case anyone was wondering, I didn't make Goku's and Vegeta's fight long because the story isn't about them. I only wrote it out so you get a little taste of what is to come. ;)  
  
Remember everyone, this is my story, and it might not turn out the way you think it will. Because where's the fun in that?  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball GT.  
  
~  
  
Chapter 14: Bra's Chapter  
  
Pan was dumbfounded. What the heck had happened to her Grandpa Goku? He had looked like he had zoned out for a few seconds. Those few seconds, however, were long enough for Vegeta to give him a gutter. That must've blown the wind out of him. Presently, the men were all huddled and Goku was scratching his head. All of their faces were serious, and the Supreme Kai was talking. She had not rushed over to Goku like the others; she didn't think he would tell her anything anyway.  
  
She noticed Trunks was still next to her, none of the adolescents would be permitted to know what had happened, or they would have already included them.  
  
"What are you still doing here?" She demanded to Trunks, who she wanted to get away from.  
  
"I'm competing too, remember?" He shot back.  
  
"Humph."  
  
"Look, Pan, we need to talk." Trunks said, softening a little.  
  
"No, we don't. I don't need to hear you clarifying what really happened the other night, and then hear you apologize. And lie to my face again." Pan said, her eyes turning as chilly as your freezer.  
  
"It really wasn't what it looked like, I swear," he said, making Pan angrier.  
  
"God damnit Trunks! Don't you ever learn? That's what you said to me last time, remember? And you've proved that you can't hold true to your word! I'm sure it wasn't what it looked like, you were just practicing on her, so you could seduce me! Was that it?" She was mad, before she had been waiting for a sincere apology from someone she thought she could trust. Now she couldn't believe these words had come out of his stinking mouth.  
  
Trunks just cringed.  
  
"What is wrong with you?! I don't get you at all! Please, just leave me alone!" She stormed away, fuming, like fire burning and the smoke coming out of the chimney. Her face was hot, and all the blood flooded her brain. She could barely think. One statement and she had lost it. She breathed deeply, trying to regain control of herself.  
  
"Pan, oh my gosh, are you okay? Geez, save the anger for your next fight," Bra rushed over to her, and put an arm around Pan's shoulders. "We have a thirty minute intermission. You want to go inside and cool off? It sure is hot out here."  
  
~  
  
Pan watched with distaste when Trunks and Tien fought it out. Tien was cool, Pan thought he was real nice, despite his rolling third eye. She liked the fact he barely ever wore a shirt. ^__^ He had like a 12 pack! She didn't think of him in that kind of way, she just liked his body. He always came up in hers and Bra's boy conversations. Pan didn't know what she would do without Bra. Bra was like her other half, her yang. Bra was the one who gave her advice, helped her when in need, and was always there to talk with if need be. Right now she was nervous, and annoyed, because she knew that if she defeated Krillin, then her own big brother would be her opponent.  
  
The fight lasted a good hour, everyone had retired to the shade to watch. Trunks didn't go super, but still he defeated Tien with a good kick out of the ring. Fans cheered, but with less enthusiasm because of the heat. Once the second rounds were over, the tournament would reconvene the next day. Hopefully it wouldn't take that long, because everyone needed to rest.  
  
Bra stood up, and dusted her butt off.  
  
"Oh my gosh, Pan. I'm so nervous. Krillin's had way more experience than me," Bra said, sounding worried.  
  
"Bra, for goodness sakes, the man was bald half his life, you can take him. You have no reason to worry. And you have me right here, cheering you on," Pan replied, trying to reassure her.  
  
"Thanks, Pan." Bra gave her a big hug, one Pan received as comforting, as she hadn't been happy about being too close to anyone lately.  
  
"Good luck!" Pan hollered as Bra waved and walked out into the eye of the audience.  
  
Bra played the fight smartly, better than Pan thought she would have done. Bra made sure of her every move, and made sure it was effective. Krillin was a tad bit slower, which proved to be a disadvantage. Bra used this and snuck up behind him a few times. Krillin bulged in strength for his lack of speed and got a few nice hits in. Pan knew Bra would be well bruised when she finished the fight. Despite this, Bra went all out, using every trick in the book and then some. Pan even thought she made some up on the spot.  
  
Once Pan thought it was all over for her best friend. Krillin blocked a hit and jumped back, creating a Destructo Disk. What is he thinking?! He could cut the crowd in half! Pan thought, worried. What would Bra do? Bra obviously knew, because next thing you know, she had concocted her very own Destructo Disk, except it was pink, and Pan barely recalled Bra telling her she had accomplished this. It was a counteract of the original, created to stop the yellow one in its tracks. It did just as it was made for, and stopped Krillin's attack quite efficiently. Bra used Krillin's moment of shock and fired a ki blast at him. Little did he know, by jumping back to avoid the attack, he had made his feet hit the grass outside the ring. He uttered a word that will not be recorded in this story, and Pan heard the loudspeaker come on and the congrats to Bra.  
  
"Yes! Way to go Bra!" Pan yelled at her, running to meet her and shower her with congratulations.  
  
"I can't believe I did it! Yes! Wow! That was exhilarating!" Bra said, jumping up and down.  
  
"So that's what you do in your laboratory. Concoct your very own moves, huh sis?" Trunks came up and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Glory won't last long though, you and I are going to have to duke it out." He grinned, and Bra stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
"Hey Bra! That was brilliant! Congratulations!" Goten came up to them and swept Bra into a bear hug. Pan could tell Bra was embarrassed, though she made sure not to show it.  
  
"Thanks Goten," she laughed when she talked, a genuine laugh, and Pan had to wonder. Did Goten have a thing for Bra? Wait, that can't be, he's got a girlfriend. One thing more, didn't Marron have a crush on Goten? The other day when they had encountered Goten's girlfriend it had sure seemed like it. Who could like that bitch of a girlfriend anyway? Pan realized Bra was much more suited to Goten then Kass would ever be.  
  
Trunks noticed this too and glanced at her, and Pan had to look away. She felt guilty for yelling at him like that again, even though he had deserved it. Pan was brought back to the present as she heard her name for the third time over the loudspeaker. This time her name was not accompanied by Piccolo's, but by Number 18's.  
  
~  
  
Well, that's all for now folks! A big part is coming up next chapter and you won't want to miss it! (Geez, I sound like a TV show.) Please REVIEW! 


	15. Black Holes

I don't really have anything to say about this chapter right now. Only I hope you enjoy it and please review.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball GT.  
  
~  
  
Chapter 15: Black Holes  
  
Gohan finished talking to Piccolo and came over to Pan. She was drinking the last of her water when he did, restraining the urge to ask what had happened to Grandpa Goku. Luckily, he read her mind.  
  
"I know you're wondering what's going on, Pan." His eyes were stern. "All that happened was your grandpa had a bad reading of something. It was probably nothing, just instinct." But Pan could see through her father just as well as she could see through Trunks. Besides, her dad was a terrible liar. Not to say he was lying of course, just neglecting the truth.  
  
"Sure, it was probably nothing, Dad." Pan said, but she smiled and Gohan gave her a hug.  
  
"I knew you'd understand," He said, giving her a noogie on the head.  
  
She laughed and kissed her dad on the cheek.  
  
"Good luck, hun. Do your best and don't give up." He gave her one last hug and sent her off to her fight.  
  
Pan squared off with Number 18. The woman was wearing her usual; Pan didn't know how she fought in those clothes. Not that it mattered. Either way she knew this would be a good fight.  
  
"And now! Number Eighteen versus Pan Son! You know the rules, ladies! Ready...Guard!" The host cried out, and Pan's second round began.  
  
~  
  
Goku rubbed his temples. He had a searing headache. Straight in between his eyes like when you have your contacts in for too long.  
  
"Have a sensu bean, Goku, it's sure to get you back on your feet," Krillin came up to him and handed him one of the Kami blessed beans.  
  
"Thanks Krillin, I could sure use it." Goku popped the bean in his mouth and chewed hungrily. He waited a few seconds for the magic to take effect.  
  
"Uhhh, Krillin? Are you sure this is a sensu bean? 'Cause it's not working."  
  
~  
  
It was like playing tag instead of fighting. They were moving very fast, Pan's power burning faster than 18's because she wasn't as experienced. Every time one of them tried to hit the other, they would flee to another spot, rather than standing ground and fighting. 18 obviously got tired of this and threw a ki blast at Pan. Pan did her best to block it, but it scorched her nonetheless. They landed on the ground, both breathing heavily. Powering up, Pan had an aura but Number 18 didn't, probably because she was an android. Pan thought she looked rather constipated when she did that, and suppressed a giggle.  
  
And they were off again, a kind of boring fight to the other participants. Pan grew frustrated at the lack of enthusiasm she and 18 had for this bout. Annoyance crept at her eyes, making it kind of hard to see. She glanced over at her relations. Trunks was watching their fight like a hawk.  
  
C'mon Pan-chan. I know you can do better than that.  
  
Pan glanced sharply over at Trunks once more. Was that Trunks in my head? Pan thought. How did he get in there?  
  
She didn't have any more time to think about that though, because 18 had taken that moment of shock to hit her square in the face.  
  
"Ow! Damn it!"  
  
Pay attention, Pan!  
  
There it was again, Trunks' voice in her head.  
  
I'm trying to! You're distracting me! She yelled mentally back. She looked over at Trunks with a scowl. He looked shocked. His mouth was hanging open, but he closed it immediately.  
  
Now she concentrated, okay, I've got to get this fight under control.  
  
They were on the ground still; Pan blocking while 18 hit. Pan waited for the moment she would spring. Almost there, just a bit more, now!  
  
Pan snuck under 18 with an upside down punch and pushed her the other way. Her arms didn't stop moving; occasionally she tried a back fist to the head, but 18 usually caught those. She kiahed every time she hit, building up her momentum. A kick here, middle knuckle punch there, and it was almost time to kick her android ass out of the ring. There it was! The moment she was waiting for.  
  
All of a sudden she couldn't stand. She also found she couldn't see. The sun was gone, and darkness had replaced it. And it wasn't mental blackness either, it was in the sky. It was so dark Pan was sure she wouldn't be able to see her hand if she put it in front of her face. She hit the ground on her knees and clutched her head, it hurt like hell, let's just put it that way. Screams could be heard everywhere; it was the crowd. Pan realized she herself was screaming, and so was Number 18 next to her.  
  
Almost out of instinct she wished her mom and dad were here with her. But in reality, she had no idea where they were or if they were even alright.  
  
~  
  
Gohan tried to see what was going on; the whole sky was black and all he could hear was people screaming. He groped around for anything, anyone. He found an arm.  
  
"Who are you?" He said.  
  
"It's Goku, Gohan is that you?" He had found his dad. Good.  
  
"What the hell is going on, Dad?"  
  
Before he could answer, about 10 feet away a ball of light appeared. The face that glowed about it was the Supreme Kai. He was standing up with the light above his head, holding it.  
  
Another ball of light popped into the air right in front of him. Goku had conjured it. Gohan did the same. All around him, everyone else made one too. Unfortunately, with the light came talk, enough talk to make the Supreme Kai shout above everyone.  
  
"Aye!" He shouted. All the Z fighters quieted down, but the crowd of course still screamed. "Is everyone all right?" Was the first thing he asked, and they all checked each other out, making sure no one was hurt. Gohan and Goku were standing against the wall, while Piccolo and the others were scattered around them. Bra clutched onto Trunks' shoulder, clearly afraid.  
  
A thought about Pan rose in Gohan's head, and he panicked for a second, but remembered she was with Number 18. He also knew Videl would be alright, she was with Chi chi and both women had a clear head.  
  
"Supreme Kai! What has happened?" This was Vegeta; he hadn't lost his cool at all, his arms were crossed and he was standing warily.  
  
"I'm not sure, exactly, Vegeta. All I know is that it has something to do with what happened to Goku earlier." Kai stopped here.  
  
"Could it be someone is using the Dragonballs, Kai?" Goku offered this peaceful solution.  
  
"No, Goku, this is far more unnatural."  
  
"How come we aren't hurting, like everyone else is?" Krillin spoke this time, a quizzical look on his face.  
  
"You are all under my protection here, in this space. If you were to walk out into the arena you would hurt too." Kai said, his face serious.  
  
"Pan!" Gohan said to himself. That means she is hurting along with everyone else. Krillin had the same look, he too had people out there that were hurting, not to mention his daughter, Marron. Trunks had the foreboding look on his face as well, his mom was out there too. But Gohan also had a sneaking suspicion some of the sympathy was for Pan as well.  
  
A big boom sounded overhead and light flooded the land. Literally, it was light flowing around everyone, except it wasn't a good light. All the Z fighters turned their heads in the direction of the boom. Half the audience had been incinerated. Gohan gulped; the horrible smell of burning flesh filled the air. He almost choked. Coughs came everywhere and he thought he heard Bra's scream pierce the air.  
  
~  
  
Pan was terrified. 18 clutched her hand and they huddled there for what seemed like hours. When light flooded the ring they both sighed, but the sigh was quickly taken in when a boom rang out, and Pan screamed. The most grotesque odor replaced the fear of blackness and Pan and 18 looked up where the sound had originated. Smoke and ashes floated in the sky.  
  
"Oh my god," 18 said, her voice quivering.  
  
Pan couldn't say anything. Realizing what had happened, tears flooded her eyes as the light had flooded the stadium.  
  
Both girls looked up and there was a black figure up in the sky like Superman. Except he was the complete opposite. He was the most horrific creature Pan had ever seen or heard of. But also, he was a complete surprise to what Pan would have thought he looked like. It was a clown. Straight out of horror films and mysteries. His striped, wide pants were black, and his shoes were the same as that of a circus clown. His shirt however, was ripped and tattered, along with the rest of his clothes. He was tall and skinny for a clown, with a grin as wide as his pants. His eyes were big and round, like a caricature. His hair stuck out on both sides of his head and he wore a top hat that was tattered too.  
  
"What the hell," 18 said next to her.  
  
~  
  
Gohan and the others couldn't stop staring at the figure above them. A clown! Of all evil creatures to walk the earth, it was a damn clown! Was this a joke? Some kind of trick the management decided to play? Somehow he didn't think it was.  
  
"Goku! Gohan! Round up the others; we must stop it before it kills everyone!" Kai yelled at them. Gohan and his dad did as told and gathered all the men. Trunks stepped forward too, but Gohan held him back.  
  
"Hey!" He cried.  
  
"Not this time, Trunks. You need to stay here."  
  
"I can help, Gohan, I'm not a damn child for god's sake!" Trunks fumed, but Gohan did not let go of his shoulder.  
  
"Trunks, I want you to watch over the girls. Especially Pan. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid, okay?" Gohan pleaded.  
  
"Okay, fine," Trunks looked down at his shoes.  
  
"You're a good man, Trunks, and I know Pan knows that too. She loves you. I know she does. Please take good care of her." And with that he left Trunks pondering.  
  
"Make sure you all concentrate on your goal, and not the blackness. If that happens, you will hurt like everyone else. Your goal is to save life, concentrate on that. Life. Let's go." Supreme Kai led the way out, almost like he was a sergeant general. It was quite a sight. Everyone was grim, they couldn't believe they were going to battle with a clown. It was preposterous. But it killed mercilessly, and you can't even excuse a clown for that.  
  
~  
  
Pan had regained her breath and was trying to suppress the pain. She was fighting it pretty well, for now it was only a throb. 18 had accomplished this too, but both failed to stand up. Out of nowhere, a series of flyers flew into the sky, two of them dropping like flies on the way up. They kept going to encircle the clown. She realized who they were.  
  
"Dad! Where are you going?! Wait, I'm coming!" It was a weak yell, one only 18 heard. She tried to stand, she really did. She poured all her strength into just standing up, something she usually took for granted. But it was in vain. She just couldn't. Sadly, she watched the figures above her converse and then a black hole form near them. They stood there for what seemed like ages, then, one by one, they jumped into it, one figure going in after the clown. Then it swirled, around and around, until it was gone. All gone.  
  
All of her hope had died away with the hole, and she fell into her own black vortex, her body sighing with relief as the hole swallowed her up into unconsciousness.  
  
~  
  
Surprised? Me too. I didn't imagine it to be quite this dramatic, but this is the way it came out. Don't start thinking this story is a little strange, because I know it is. But the reason I'm doing this is I want to touch on the reality of the situation. Oh, and remember, it gets worse before it gets better. ;) 


	16. The Wall of Reality

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball GT.  
  
In reference to the story, both Goku and Vegeta can't hold SS4 for very long, which is why they aren't transformed in this chapter.  
  
~  
  
Chapter 16: The Wall of Reality  
  
It was dark. She couldn't see anything. Slowly, she opened her eyes and realized that the eternal darkness was gone, and the evening sun had made a glowing spectacle, slightly shrouded by the smoke and ash in the air. Lifting her head, she looked out at the world from the floor of the tournament arena. Number 18 was on her knees, obviously just awakening too. Gradually she made it onto her knees as well. She was dusty and her skin had soot on it. She coughed and found her throat was all knotted up.  
  
She heard footsteps behind her, and a warm hand on her arm. Someone helped her up, and carried her back to the shaded area. She couldn't tell who it was, since there was crap in her eyes and she felt a little woozy. She heard her name being called in a girl's voice, but she couldn't think right then. She left her thinking to later and fell asleep once again.  
  
~  
  
Pan woke up to find herself lying not on the floor, but in a bed. With nice, comfortable sheets and a big, lavishly, fluffed up blanket on top of her. She also found she was wearing a Capsule Corp. jean jacket.  
  
She bolted upright. Is this a dream? She panicked, wondering if she was insane. What happened to her Dad? Oh. Right. Flew off in a black hole.  
  
Sadly, she watched the figures above her converse and then a black hole form near them. They stood there for what seemed like ages, then, one by one, they jumped into it, one figure going in after the clown.  
  
The clown. The most dreadful, ugly thing she had ever seen.  
  
"Pan! You woke up! Finally, I was getting worried." Bra flopped down on the bed next to her.  
  
"Bra!"  
  
They hugged, grateful they were both alright.  
  
"Bra, where am I?" Pan inquired, since she really didn't know.  
  
"Oh, silly, you're in Hercules' quarters, you know, above the participant area. Of what tournament, I don't know." Her voice was wavery. "So many were killed today, oh Pan, what happened?" Bra started crying and she hugged Pan again, whispering on her shoulder, "I'm so glad you're okay, Pan. I was so scared."  
  
Pan could feel the emotion dripping off her like sweat, and she was slammed into the wall of reality. Dead. Their lives ruined. Gone. All because of a fuckin' clown. Anger boiled inside of her; it was in her blood. But grief overtook her, and she wept too, hot tears falling down her face.  
  
~  
  
Pan didn't stay long in bed; she was up and jumping the stairs down to the bottom in a matter of minutes. What had happened to the others? Her mother? What about Marron? At the end of her jump she ran into someone she didn't expect to see.  
  
"Trunks?" She gasped. "Trunks, are you okay?" Involuntarily, she threw her arms around him and could barely restrain from crying again.  
  
Trunks hugged her back, and they were like that for at least thirty seconds, until they awkwardly broke up. Pan remembered what he had done, but it seemed so long ago; she didn't know if it mattered anymore. But the awkward silence between them showed that it did. And Pan quickly changed the subject.  
  
"Where are the others? Did they make it out okay?" She asked, looking around for them.  
  
"Yeah, they found us not too long ago."  
  
"Well? Are they alright? Trunks! Spit it out."  
  
"Everyone was a little scorched, so right now they are all sleeping."  
  
"Oh."  
  
18 joined them. She looked a little ruffled, but she was, on the whole, fine. She spoke next.  
  
"Unfortunately, not all of us made it out safely."  
  
"What?" Pan said, but then she remembered. The trail of men going up to the clown. Two of them dropping like flies.  
  
"Who was it?"  
  
"Yamcha and Tien," Trunks said.  
  
"Oh. Where are they now?"  
  
Trunks answered, "Probably with King Kai."  
  
She gasped. They're dead!  
  
"Pan, don't worry, we can always wish them back with the Dragonballs," Trunks reassured her.  
  
"What about my dad? What about Grandpa? What are we going to do? We have to go after them!" Pan cried.  
  
"Pan, we can't. Didn't you see that hole? It swallowed them up. There's no way we can get to them. We have absolutely no idea who that guy was and where we can find him and the others! Right now, I suggest we look for the injured. Maybe there are some survivors. Go get Bra and search the bleachers." Pan could tell Trunks was frustrated too.  
  
She gave him a last opposing glare and did what he said. People were everywhere; it certainly wasn't just the Z fighters. There were people sitting in the stands, people on the grass lying down; it looked like Trunks had taken matters into his hands. He had gone up to Hercules' quarters and distributed all the blankets and sheets he could find. Those who were injured he had gone around to and done first aid.  
  
The police and ambulances would arrive soon, and the people would be carried away. For now, the apartment was full, and everyone else camped out here. Crying kids, hungry families, it was a lot to bear. No one had the umph to start the food stands; either that or they were robbed. It looked like the whole parking lot had been blown up too.  
  
Pan and Bra silently made their way toward the scorched and blown up bleachers. They all jutted up from the ground, charred and black. Broken from their body, the sharp metal bleachers made it hard to look for survivors. After a half hour of searching both Pan and Bra decided to give up. They flew back to what they called "Headquarters."  
  
~  
  
Gohan limped across the floor that looked like the night sky, the stars twinkling up at him. Gohan took a moment to compliment the scenery, even though they were all on their deathbeds. The place they were in was almost like the time chamber, except the surroundings weren't pure white, it was the universe, except they were standing on it. It was like someone had painted their entire house the color of the night sky and the bright stars.  
  
Unfortunately, they weren't in such a bright situation. After they had all flown up to the clown in the sky, terrorizing the tournament, the clown, who called himself Mystro, had invited them to a death match in an alternate universe. Currently, four men were down. Well, dead, actually. Those four unfortunate ones were Yamcha and Tien, who couldn't hold their own on their way up here, Kabuto and sadly, Goten. Both had gone down bravely, and it took all Gohan had not to break down now. He was fighting for life with only the fire of his anger and grief.  
  
Gohan himself was bleeding from the leg, a really bad position for a wound. The Namek, Piccolo, was half-dead, his face beaten in. Krillin was off to the side, a bad bang to the head. Vegeta and Goku did not fuse, since the earrings were gone, but they were attacking Mystro together, and the Supreme Kai was watching them.  
  
The three duelists were in a blur, and with Gohan's already dizzy eyesight, he could not follow them.  
  
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" The clown laughed wickedly, as if mocking the two saiyans attacking him. "Give it up, Saiyans!" His eyes twinkled as bright as the stars.  
  
"Ahhhhhh!" Vegeta and Goku attacked him vigorously.  
  
Mystro swept his arm and it grew to encase both men and it slammed them against the ground, a freakish extended movement that scared the hell out of Gohan. This clown was definitely from the circus. He was unbelievably powerful, more powerful than the undefeated Z team. Gohan couldn't get it out of his head that they were done for. It was so ominous; both Goku and Vegeta were SS3, their hair a blinding gold. Yet they could not lay a finger on him.  
  
Suddenly, Mystro grabbed Goku by the back of his shirt and hurled him to the ground, next throwing Vegeta on top of him.  
  
"Dad!" Gohan cried out, because Goku had given a gut-wrenching scream when he and Vegeta hit the ground.  
  
"Ha, ha, ha! That's your father, then, is it? You poor boy! Watching the Earth's savior die must be horrifying! Ha, ha, ha! I love it!" His voice was a high, wicked voice, one that you wanted to close out from your ears forever. As if to prove his point, Mystro flew to the ground and looked down at Goku, with Vegeta lying next to him. With Gohan watching, the clown put all the weight in his foot straight down onto Goku. Another scream pierced the air, and Gohan couldn't take it anymore.  
  
He charged the clown behind him and did a ki blast into his back. Mystro's scream was worse than Goku's. It was a screech from chalk on a blackboard. Vegeta sprung up and kicked the clown on the chin, forcing his head up, and spittle flying everywhere.  
  
He landed and wiped his mouth, "That was pretty clever, although it was kind of one-sided, if you know what I mean."  
  
Gohan charged him again, this time his feet not touching the ground. He tried to punch him but the clown caught it.  
  
"Who are you?!" Gohan said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Your worst nightmare," he said, his cackle chilling Gohan to the bone. He didn't see the ki blast forming near his stomach. 


	17. Tricks and Taunts

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball GT.  
  
~  
  
Chapter 17 (my soccer jersey number)- Tricks and Taunts  
  
Blood ran from Gohan's mouth; he wiped it but it just smeared across his face. There was a slight gouge in his stomach, a wound that he could die from if not treated soon. Coughing up more blood, he raised his head to look Mystro straight in the eye. He was a damn cheater; not that you can expect much from a clown, but still, he had blasted him in the gut.  
  
"Having a little trouble are we? I'm so sorry, that one just slipped out of my hands!" Mystro shrieked.  
  
"You monster!" Gohan yelled back.  
  
"Maybe we need more space, it's getting too crowded in here. Well, let's see, I've killed the orange man, and your brother. Oh, and poor Namek over there is half alive, or should I say, half dead? Hahahahaha! Maybe we should kick the green man out? And the bald man too! It will be fun!" Mystro's eyes were like the swirls of a crazy cartoon character.  
  
Not joking, Mystro lifted his hands up and Piccolo and Krillin floated in the air.  
  
"Hey! Put me down! Goku! Help!" Krillin screamed, trying to get rid of the invisible hands holding him up there.  
  
Piccolo was motionless.  
  
"No!" Supreme Kai yelled.  
  
Mystro's eyes flashed and the black hole appeared again. This time Gohan could see down into it, and he saw the tournament, with people lying all over the grass, camping out. Then he saw her. Pan.  
  
~  
  
Pan kicked the grass in frustration. The blades and dirt went flying in all directions. She was so helpless, sitting here. Not where she should be. She should be fighting that clown. She should be helping out her father. But no. She was stuck here. On Earth. Suddenly she heard a shout and the wind picked up.  
  
"Pan! Look! The hole!" Bra cried out, pointing up at the swirling  
ebony mass of evil.  
  
Pan followed Bra's arm, her eyes traveling upward to see the familiar face of the black hole.  
  
"Trunks! Look!" Pan shouted, motioning for him to come here. Trunks saw her and looked up too, his eyes went round as he saw the hole. He didn't say anything.  
  
Trunks' silence scared Pan, and all of a sudden she was afraid to do anything. Any wrong move could kill all these people. She bit her lip until she tasted blood on her tongue. Then, in that deciding moment, a green hand was suspended in the air coming out of the black hole.  
  
"Piccolo!" Pan charged the hole, and when she got there, she saw the whole scene before her. But they seemed far off; she couldn't reach them. She was so confused. But, regaining her wits, Pan grabbed Piccolo's arm and pulled. She hefted his blood soaked body out and slung him over her shoulder. He was unbelievably heavy. She couldn't hold him.  
  
"Trunks! Catch!" She let Piccolo fall, and down below Trunks caught him. Out of nowhere, an on-fire Krillin came hurling out of the hole at practically the speed of light. Pan went after him, using all of her speed to catch up with him. He was screaming for he really was on fire. Pan's anger boiled again, but this time her fingers grew cold and numb with the madness. She sped up one last time and caught him by the foot. Krillin grew rigid and her hands smothered the fire.  
  
She looked down and couldn't find Trunks. She saw Bra though, hefting Piccolo. She panicked and searched for the hole. It was closing. Damn.  
  
"Bra! Catch him!" And down went Krillin, with Bra grabbing him with one arm as he came down.  
  
"Where are you going, Pan?!" Bra yelled after her.  
  
Pan nodded her head toward the hole and Bra's eyes widened, as Trunks' had.  
  
"You better not Son Pan!"  
  
"Take care of them, Bra! I'm counting on you!" Pan yelled back, and with a grin she took off for the hole.  
  
She stuck her arm threw the swirling black mass and it nearly killed her with the pain. She screamed, for the pain was nothing like she had ever felt. She was in the middle of a portal; of course it was going to hurt. She was tampering with the workings of Hell. Pan regained her concentration and her brow furrowed.  
  
"Ahhhhhh!" She kiahed, and pulled herself through, landing on the ground on her rump. She glanced down at her hands (which were still covered with Piccolo's and Krillin's blood) but then her eyes traveled to the sky, and then back to the ground. But the ground was the sky. How odd, Pan thought, to be sitting on the sky.  
  
"Pan! Oh my god! Are you okay?" Pan's father came limping up to her, a bloody wound in his gut.  
  
"Dad! What happened to you?!" Pan exclaimed, standing up and leaning her father on her shoulder.  
  
"I happened to him," the clown said.  
  
"Who do you think you are! Coming to Earth and killing a bunch of people!" Pan cried, but the Supreme Kai came up behind her and with surprising strength held her back.  
  
"Calm down, Pan. This is not the way to go about it," Kai said in her ear. Pan took his advice and relaxed.  
  
Pan looked around a bit more; her Grandpa Goku and Trunks were a few feet away from them. Goku was holding Trunks back, like the Supreme Kai was holding Pan. What is this? Pan thought. We aren't children. It seemed to her that the older Z fighters were trying to keep the "kids" from getting hurt. What a time to act the protective! Right when they could all die.  
  
"I am an all powerful super being. No one created me; I have just always been here. I am the fear of all children. The scaring of the dark. The monsters under your bed, little girl. Do not try me. I know all about you, what you are afraid of, what you really feel, and what's in the dark depths of your heart. I know all about those corners of your mind that you've shut out, the cobwebs you keep there, the fears you try to overcome but can't. Nothing and no one can destroy me. I encourage you all to give it a shot though. I haven't had this much fun since........well.......never! Hahahaha! Who's next then?" Mystro finished his long, bone chilling speech and slid into a fighting stance.  
  
Goku, Supreme Kai, and Vegeta all stepped forward. Now you may think that this clown doesn't stand an inkling of a chance. Honestly, Goku and Vegeta? Super Ascended like 5 times saiyans? Plus they are working together and if you add the Supreme Kai of the Earth, you get a dead clown. But this is where you are wrong. If you recall before in Mystro's speech, he told you that he knows you. Each and every one of you. You are all a part of him. All of the fear that you keep bottled up inside you has come out to form the evil being that stands here now. Just keep that in mind.  
  
"Three against one, that's not really fair, now is it? Oh well! You'll all end up dead anyway, so why should I care?" Mystro said, and with this last statement, he disappeared.  
  
"Where did he go?" Vegeta asked.  
  
"He's here!" And Goku whipped around and threw a punch into the air. "Damn it! I lost him."  
  
They stood all three back to back now, after Goku's little hallucination. But you couldn't blame him. Mystro was everywhere, either that, or moving really fast.  
  
Pan and Gohan and Trunks just all stood by and watched, praying that this night (or day) would end soon, but in their favor. Ki blasts out of nowhere flew at the Z fighters, and they were scattered. Now that the three of them weren't together anymore, it was much easier for Mystro to get them. He went from one to the other, attacking and playing with each one before he got bored and went to the next fighter. It was horrid to watch; he'd beat Goku up; then move to Vegeta, and then Kai. Then by the time he got around back to the beginning, Goku would be ready to fight again. So they couldn't really gain any sort of strategy from this. Pan felt so helpless again, except that she was here, and she still couldn't do anything.  
  
Trunks was just as frustrated. They were getting absolutely nowhere by waiting for Mystro to come for them. So he jumped in.  
  
"Trunks! No!" This came from Gohan, who wasn't capable of doing anything at all at the moment.  
  
"Stop waiting for him and fight!" Trunks yelled at the top of his lungs. Goku and the others took notice and it was almost like they were waking up from a dream. Mystro came at Goku but this time Trunks came with him, Vegeta and Kai too. They all ganged up on him and at last! One of them hit Mystro on the back of the head and he fell down....... down.......and hit the ground (or sky, whichever you like). Vegeta charged up and made an energy ball in his hands. He meant to hit the clown while he was down.  
  
But Pan saw a flicker of movement in Mystro's eyes. Vegeta pulled his arms back, ready to throw it but......wait. He froze right where he was and his eyes went round and wide. He seemed to be staring at nothing. Then the ball disintegrated and left his hands, fully dissolved. Vegeta screamed like he was dying and he went into an almost insane fit.  
  
"Vegeta!"  
  
"Dad!"  
  
"What the hell!"  
  
Powering up, Vegeta screamed, "No!" over and over, then finally, losing his strength and will, he fell.  
  
"Dad!" Trunks flew after him, and caught his father midway. He floated down and put him on the ground.  
  
"Dad? Are you okay? Speak to me!" Trunks was crying, even though Vegeta was still breathing. Pan couldn't imagine what it would be like to see your dad go insane like that.  
  
"What did you do to him?!" Goku yelled at Mystro, who now stood up with a grin on his face.  
  
"Simple," he said, his eyebrows rising as if anyone who didn't know was ignorant. " I found out what he feared the most, and used that against him. No, no," he said, waving his finger like scolding young children, " Don't ask me what he's scared of, I'm not allowed to give that information. Strictly confidential. How would you feel if I told all your secrets to your friends? You wouldn't be very comfortable with that, now would you?" Mystro said, taunting them all. (A/N I advise you guys to remember that.)  
  
"You imbecile!" Goku yelled, and charged the clown.  
  
Mystro held out his arm, and Goku was frozen in place.  
  
"Now, now, don't lose your temper. You don't want to go through what your friend over there went through, do you? Because that can be arranged. For instance, your son Gohan over here has very mixing emotions. Unlike Vegeta, who refuses to let any emotions show through that rock hard façade of his. Gohan is afraid of many things."  
  
Pan looked at her dad, whose teeth were ground together, in pain and anger.  
  
"He is terrified of losing anyone. He went through numerous deaths as a child, and he's not sure what he would do with himself if he lost his loved ones. Pan, why doesn't your father let you fight? You're a top fighter, I know you are, and I know you know you are. Does Gohan trust you?"  
  
"Of course he does!" Pan shouted, trying to override the unsure feelings she was having. Everyone had stopped and was staring at them.  
  
"Well, if he does, then how come he won't let you steer your own life? After all, you are almost sixteen! Then again I could be completely wrong. Maybe Gohan trusts you like any other. But then, maybe not. I have a sneaking suspicion he's worried you might hurt someone with your rash actions."  
  
Pan's thoughts swirled. Could it be true? Her dad never did let her do something without interrogating her like a police officer.  
  
"Pan," Gohan said weakly, "It's not true, don't listen to him."  
  
"But Daddy," she referred to her old name for him, "Do you trust me? How come you won't let me fight?"  
  
"I don't want you hurt. You have no idea what it's like to lose someone you love. I'm doing it for your own good," Gohan said a little stronger.  
  
Pan moved away from him, "For my good, or someone else's, Daddy?"  
  
"Pan don't you dare listen to that creature!" this was Trunks.  
  
At that point a sword, Trunks' sword, cut through her mind. She clutched her head as two forces fought. One for control, and one for her freedom. She screamed endlessly, for the pain was unbearable.  
  
"Let go of her now!!!" Trunks screamed and suddenly she was free once again. She was free from Mystro and his horrible mind games.  
  
Tears streamed down her face mixing with the dirt. Nevertheless she ran over to Gohan and hugged him fiercely, whispering apologies in his ear.  
  
"Damn you!" Mystro yelled, and blasted the Supreme Kai, who was behind him at the moment. They all heard him scream and the blast was blinding. He fell smoking onto the twinkling sky, which was actually happy looking, if you weren't in the situation that now took place. Luckily, as the Z fighters would find out later, the Supreme Kai was not dead, just severely injured.  
  
Mystro gave a fierce kick out to his side where Goku floated in the air, making Goku fly back and falling.  
  
"Goku! Supreme Kai!" Pan yelled, the fear kicking in.  
  
"And now Ladies and Gentlemen!" announced Mystro, laughing wickedly. "Our young warrior Pan over here is completely bewildered by what is taking place. She is frightened beyond all comprehension and doesn't know what to do! You know, Gohan, maybe Pan isn't ready after all! This poor, little, helpless girl," Mystro's words stabbed her one by one, until she almost couldn't take it. "Who's going to help her? I know she wants to kill me, but how can she? There's no one here!"  
  
Pan started to sweat badly. Anger boiled and swirled like a witch's brew. If she ever gets a chance to lay her hands on him..........he will pay........  
  
~  
  
All of my wonderful reviewers I am so sorry for not updating faster. I feel so bad about it I'm establishing an optional rule. If I do not update for a week, then please send me a review telling me to update. I hope you guys weren't too mad at me........ anyway, I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. As you can see, Mystro is a sick man, or clown. Hopefully, Pan will fulfill that little oath she made at the end there, or will Mystro really kill all of them? He's done a pretty good job so far. Please read and review. 


	18. A Price to Pay

This is it my friends! The chapter you've all been waiting for! Mind you, I wrote this from about 10 o' clock last night till about 12! So I better be gettin' some reviews! Oh, and a few encouraging words from my good friend, Sir Winston Churchill before we begin!  
  
"If you're going through hell, keep going."  
--Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball GT.  
  
~  
  
Chapter 18: A Price to Pay  
  
"She does have someone, she has me," This remark came from Trunks, who stepped forward.  
  
"You? Trunks Briefs? The one who follows in his father's footsteps, I presume," Mystro mocked him, his grin widening, "Am I mistaken in also believing that you are the one who was caught with another woman, warming to her affections?"  
  
Pan stiffened; the memory was sour in her mouth.  
  
"That was a mistake that I regret and I will never make it again," Trunks said defiantly.  
  
"Didn't you say that the first time, young Trunks? That you wouldn't have lunch with her anymore, that you only have room in your heart for Pan? See where that got you? If I were you Pan, I wouldn't be trusting his word," Mystro said slyly, looking Pan in the eye.  
  
Pan just stood there, her mind all confuzzled again. Gohan had slipped out of her grasp and was lying on the ground, slipping in and out of consciousness. Images of Trunks and Ashley kissing brought bad feelings back, despite how much she knew she should get over it. But she couldn't overlook the fact that he had done it –twice-, each time telling her he didn't mean it. And she was thinking of all this when her entire family's life was at stake, not to mention the rest of the world being taken over by the bogeyman.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" Trunks powered up, his flaming golden locks waving in the force of the aura. His eyes sparkled blue, no, not sparkled, -electrified- the slightest glance. He flung himself at Mystro, attacking him furiously, going all out. Mystro was slightly taken aback and Trunks nearly had him, giving him a few bruises, but nothing more than that. As of now, they were equal in power, but Trunks was enraged, and anger had blown out the lamp in his mind, leaving dust and a windstorm.  
  
Trunks wasn't thinking at all. He attacked out of anger and loathe, forgetting all the good techniques of battle. Mystro however, did not lose his cool and dodged many of the hits that Trunks threw his way. Trunks himself was getting beaten up, his face all bloodied, his clothes torn, gashes from Mystro's nails even.  
  
All through this Pan just gazed. She really didn't know what to think. It was like she was in the daze that Goku, (who was now mysteriously frozen in place in the air) Vegeta, and Kai had been in. She was scared for Trunks, but she also held contempt for him.  
  
In the next instant, Trunks was up in the air, sustained by Mystro's clawed hand, yelling at some kind of pain being inflicted upon him.  
  
"What are you doing?" Pan said, almost quietly.  
  
"Why Pan darling, I'm getting your revenge! Don't you want revenge for all that he's done?" Mystro gave her a sympathetic smile, "Don't worry; let me handle this."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Trunks screamed harder than ever, the pain obviously killing him. His arms were clasped to his sides like he was being held like a doll, his feet flailing, and his face almost stretching to the point of breakage from Mystro's torture.  
  
"I hope you're enjoying this, young Trunks Briefs. Now you can really take after your father. You can die insane! Insane from facing your fears!"  
  
"Wait," Pan interjected, "what fears?"  
  
"Trunks is now living his number one fear, and since he's going to die anyway, I don't see why I cant tell you. You see, Pan, Trunks' worst fear is being alone. Dying alone. He's also scared of being denied by you, my dearest. So he tries to throw his fear to the back of his mind and ignore it. But you see Trunks," he raised his voice, so Trunks could hear him, "your plan backfired! You are dying alone and you don't have a girl!"  
  
Trunks gritted his teeth and struggled to be let free. Mystro dropped him, and he fell down to the floor with a thump, Pan wincing as she heard it. His hair drooped and became purple again, and his eyes were dull, but he was definitely alive.  
  
"Does that satisfy your revenge bug, Pan?"  
  
"NO!" She yelled, snapping back to reality, her black hair slightly rising with the aura. "My revenge is reserved for YOU!" And she screamed, her aura becoming a flaring red, edged with black, but strangely enough, the black and red died down and yellow took its place. A Super Saiyan yellow.  
  
She felt the rush of adrenaline, the speed of the energy in her. Her emotions erupted into a burst of ANGER and POWER and RAGE. They were all words that described her –being- the person she became. Her hair rose too, and wildly flung about her. Her eyes changed to blue, and her hair became golden spikes. Instead of going up though, on a man's hair, the spikes went down, like a woman's hair, with no bangs, just long spikes of gold engulfing her. It went a little past the shoulders, and it was an amazing and beautiful sight even though it was destructive power.  
  
Mystro was about ten yards from her, his eyes wide and his mouth open. But quickly regaining his calm, he crossed his arms and waited for Pan to finish.  
  
"Prepare to die, Mystro."  
  
Mystro gave a little humph and charged her. He quickly realized her power was not to be underestimated, even though they were pretty evenly matched. Their fight was a huge bang of forces, power on power, fist against fist. Pan fed her side of the force with her anger. She called up all her memories of hatred and death, and this is what fueled her. It was kind of sick, in a way, that death was to persuade her to commit another death, a being made of fear maybe, but it was still a death. And maybe, just maybe, she could have prevented those deaths of the people in the stands, Tien, Yamcha, Kabuto..... Goten. Either way she was going to make up for it now.  
  
"Ah hah!" Mystro cried, for he had locked eyes with her and she had frozen. She was stuck in the air. Her arms were movable but her legs weren't.  
  
"God damn it!" She yelled.  
  
"Here is where the road ends, my dear! Say good bye!"  
  
Oh shit. No. She couldn't die. This isn't the way it's supposed to be! She was a Super Saiyan! Finally she had that power to her beck and call and she was going to die. She had to save everyone. She had to get out and kill Mystro and bring everyone out back to home. Home. Oh no. She would never see it again. She would never see Videl, her mother, and Gohan would die, here, with a hole in his gut........  
  
Mystro braced himself twenty feet away from Pan, a grayish ki blast forming in his hands. He laughed like an insane witch. Then again, that's really what he was. He would kill this girl and all would be over, and he would be in control. She was quite a nuisance and he couldn't wait to get rid of her.  
  
What took place next was in slow motion in Pan's eyes. Every moment was planted in her mind. Mystro's hands thrust forward, and Pan met her death with open eyes, not wanting to face it scared. But then a blur came in front of her, and the light outlined a body. His face was turned toward her, the blast going into his back.  
  
"Pan- I'm so sorry, please forgive me."  
  
A scream-  
  
"No!!!"  
  
~I'm looking down now that it's over  
  
Reflecting on all of my mistakes  
  
I thought I found the road to somewhere  
  
Somewhere in His Grace  
  
I cried out heaven save me  
  
But I'm down to one last breath  
  
And with it let me say  
  
Let me say~  
  
Gone.  
  
Trunks.  
  
Then the slow motion stopped and time went forward again, the light and energy blasting suddenly and everything was in the grayish light. Pan couldn't even see it was so much like fog. When the smoke had cleared away, Pan's eyes searched frantically for Trunks. Where was he? Would he be hiding? Maybe he went to save Gohan. Foolish thoughts crept into her head, not wanting to believe the truth.  
  
Mystro himself looked upon the scene with complete and utter disbelief. Goku didn't say a word, his face had gone horribly pale.  
  
Pan's mind swarmed with stupid and irrelevant comments. She simply could not focus. Trunks just wasn't there. He wasn't lying on the ground, bleeding. He wasn't in the air, laughing at Mystro, and he wasn't helping Gohan. He just wasn't there. Nothing except dust.  
  
"See what he did? Sacrificed his life for someone who's going to die anyway! What a fool!" Mystro regained his own wits and hurled his head back, laughing. "He threw himself into a ki blast! His own death bed!" He continued to mock Trunks' sacrifice.  
  
Realization hit her with Mystro's words and the tears started to flow. They kept coming and coming, it seemed Mystro's laughing and her own tears would never stop. The laughing was in her head, loud and mocking. The tears crowded her vision. She didn't know what to do--- Oh God help me---  
  
"Your whole life is a joke now, Pan. Everyone you love is going to die."  
  
He circled around her in the air, Pan just being frozen while Mystro taunted her.  
  
"The Z fighters are extinct, of which one you are barely. So what, you have yellow hair, blue eyes, you're still going to die. Tell me Pan," He said, with a toothy grin, still circling her, "How is it to have people underestimate you? It's very frustrating, I know. First they IGNORE you," Pan's anger boiled again, the madness starting to overwhelm her new Super Saiyan control. He continued, "Then they LAUGH at you," That was strike two. "Then they FIGHT you," She couldn't control it, but she marveled in it, the loathing was burning hot and if she didn't let it out it would consume her of its own accord. "And then---"  
  
"AND THEN I WIN!!!" The ending phrase cut threw Mystro's. There was a snap in her mind and she was no longer frozen. The whole universe rumbled, she screamed a scream that could be heard and felt on Earth. Her aura was flames, burning, scorching, deadly, flames. Black and red flames. She was so drugged with the power that her hair was turned to black spikes with red streaks, and her eyes retained her old, well-deep ebony color and depth.  
  
The power flailed all around her, but it did not hit Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, or Supreme Kai. It all ran toward Mystro. He was completely engulfed in her flames. They licked his sides, disintegrated his skin in less than a second. He didn't even have a chance to scream.  
  
~ I'm trying to escape  
  
I yelled back when I heard thunder  
  
But I'm down to one last breath  
  
Hold me now  
  
I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking~  
  
A column of gray flared up from where he was, leading into the sky far above, never ending. There was a loud roar of power, drowning out all other sounds.  
  
All the pain she endured, all the emotional crap she had gone through. All the emotional crap she would ever go through, was right here. All her strength, energy, hatred, anger, love, jealousy, grief, and everything she could, went into it. So in reality, it wasn't Pan's power that killed Mystro. It was Pan's essence, her mentality, her very being. She threw her fears away, and used all other emotions to overcome that one.  
  
As fast as the reeling force had begun, it died away, leaving once again the site of nothing but ash in Mystro's place. Then a shadow- like figure floated out of the ground, it wailed, and then floated into the sky. It had been Mystro's last appearance.  
  
Goku finally fell to the ground after being frozen throughout all of this.  
  
"You destroyed him, Pan," Goku said, getting up.  
  
"Yes," she said, almost solemnly, "After all those years growing up, wondering about the monsters under my bed, the bugs in my sheets, I've killed the leader of them all. I've killed the bogeyman." 


	19. It's to Make You Think

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball GT.  
  
~  
  
Chapter 19: It's to Make You Think  
  
Pan vaguely remembered her and Goku picking up all the injured Z fighters: Supreme Kai, Vegeta, and Gohan, who was not conscious any more. With Mystro gone, they did not have any access to the outside world. So how were they to get out? Goku voiced this, and Pan thought on it until she had the answer and knew it was possible.  
  
Her hair still shone with the red streaks and she was still in her newfound Super Saiyan mode. Now she looked deep into the power and found the solution. She held her hand out and concentrated. She told the portal to open, and lo and behold, it did. It swirled with white light instead of black because they were coming out of the dark into the light.  
  
Hefting the Supreme Kai while Goku held the two others, they flew out of the portal and the now eerie battlefield. They went through a series of flashes of light, and Pan noticed there was no flash at all of any kind of black light or darkness.  
  
Finally they burst out into the sky, where both she and Goku floated down peacefully to the floor of the ring. Pan looked around at the familiar surroundings. She couldn't believe that the tournament had even happened. It seemed to far away, like months had passed. They heard cries of recognition, and Pan set the Supreme Kai gently down on the ground. She saw figures up ahead: her mother and Bra. Bulma came running too, as well as Chi chi and Marron.  
  
Videl reached her first. She was embraced heartily, and words of gratitude reached her ears, and Pan noticed her mother was crying. When they broke apart, Videl saw Gohan and cried out. Pan winced. Videl, with the help of Goku, carried him inside. Chi chi came and gave her a hug, as well as Marron and Bra. None of the girls spoke a word; they all noticed Pan's lifelessness and how one member of the Z gang didn't come back from the portal.  
  
Bra tended to her father, and Marron and Bra left Pan alone, while taking Vegeta upstairs. Supreme Kai rustled in her arms, and she set him down in a sitting position, and she sat down next to him. He coughed for a little, then his eyes slowly opened. He gazed at Pan and the surroundings they were now in. His line of vision focused on her, and he sat up a bit more and said, "I'm guessing how we are both still alive that Mystro was defeated."  
  
"Yes, sir, he was, although not in the way I would have imagined it," Pan said a little too solemnly.  
  
"I was a little unfortunate to be knocked out, but mine are not the only pairs of eyes that I have."  
  
Pan was confused.  
  
"Kabuto saw the whole thing from above, and he relayed what was happening to me in my mind. I know Pan, how difficult this is for you."  
  
It indeed was difficult. She could barely restrain from crying. But the problem was, she didn't have any tears left. She was all burnt out.  
  
"He died for me," was all Pan said.  
  
"But not in vain," Kai said.  
  
"If I hadn't been so brainwashed by that clown than he wouldn't have had to sacrifice his life for me."  
  
"But if he had not, what might've happened?"  
  
"He would be here, not me," Pan replied, looking at the ground.  
  
"Can you be so sure?"  
  
Pan said nothing.  
  
"Exactly my point. You can only fathom what –could have- happened. And that is not the most important thing. The most important thing is what –did- happen, and how you handled it. And I see," he speculated, "That you handled it very well."  
  
Pan noticed she was still crackling with little sparks of black and red lightning. She took a deep sigh and she returned to normal.  
  
"You found the power within you, or rather, by way of Trunks. You see, Pan, he did help you. Very much. He opened the tunnel into your heart that was blocked by your frustration at the time. He helped you to unlock the prowess inside. Trunks was there, the whole time, fueling your anger and spite for Mystro. So not for one second, do you think his sacrifice was in vain. The power nearly swallowed you up, if not for Trunks, it surely would have. So do not feel bad, or angry. You should feel proud of him, and his love for you. All you have to do is love him back. And all will be well."  
  
At this point, the Supreme Kai smiled cheerfully at her and got up on his feet warily and limped toward the living quarters. Pan still sat there, pondering Kai's words, and realized what had been the truth all along. Anger and pride had just been blinding her so she couldn't see it. She loved Trunks. She loved him more than anything in the whole universe. This was the last thing she thought of before she fell into a state of unconsciousness and exhaustion.  
  
~  
  
Well, folks, that was the last official chapter of Teenage Saiyan. Don't fret though; I still have an epilogue coming up that you won't want to miss. Oh, and before I forget, (even though I seldom do) I am looking for a REVIEW FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. If you have just read this chapter, I kindly request that you review promptly. 


	20. Epilogue

It's amazing how into these stories I get. I always have trouble explaining the complex, yet simple emotions that these characters go through. I always think that I can't possibly show their feelings just through words. I'm afraid that I won't get my point out. Then, I think of the moment I'm trying to write in my head and picture it just like a movie. Because your actions often explain more than words can.  
  
And then I go on to think that when I put the songs into the stories, the lyrics relate to the characters, but also, the music in the actual song is supposed to provide background for the story and setting. Music is life; it can explain the person's feelings and emotions like nothing else can just in a few bars. So, in conclusion I just want to remind my readers that a story isn't just a story. And also to tell you that you should try to really feel their emotions as if they were yours. Listen to the music in your head and just completely give yourself up to it, feel the beat and the true essence of it.  
  
And now, the concluding chapter and epilogue of Teenage Saiyan. I truly hope that you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball GT.  
  
~  
  
Chapter 20: Epilogue  
  
Pan sat up on her roof, the stars twinkling merrily at her from above. It reminded her of the sky room during the battle. The ceiling, the floor, the walls, it had all been so beautiful, but the room had had a deadly cause. And that was to provide a deathbed to her beloved friends and family. That battle had been little over a month ago, and it was now the night before her sixteenth birthday. Everyone said that this was your sweet sixteen, the year you drive, your prime years in high school. Pan tried to make the best of it, but she couldn't.  
  
After the tournament she had been questioned and interrogated to no end. And she was tired of it. In the long run, she was probably more mentally tired than she had ever been in her life. All of her friends and family tried to act normal around her, all except Bra, whom had lost someone just as close, probably even closer. They often spoke about Trunks, since neither girl believed in forgetting the past. Whenever they talked about him, it was a door to their past, and what it had been like. What with Goten, Yamcha, Tien, and Kabito gone as well, it was a fresh reminder of the events that had previously happened.  
  
Sometimes she felt like flying away and never coming back. Perhaps she would find Trunks if she flew and searched diligently enough. No one at school bothered her, not even Micah, whom she had completely forgotten about. Pan no longer had an air of fun and laughter about her anymore. Her energy wasn't as high; it was more low-key. No one really knew what to do about it.  
  
Pan sighed and looked up once more at the stars before climbing back into her room. Silently she shut her lamp off and climbed into the covers, feeling safer with the protective sheets around her.  
  
"Happy Birthday, Pan-chan!" The yells and cheers woke her up and she looked around her. All of her family was there as well as Bra, Marron, and Bulma. She sat up and grinned.  
  
"What is this?" She said laughing.  
  
"It's your birthday, silly!"  
  
Breakfast had been brought to her in bed. It was a giant cinnamon roll that could feed easily more than ten people. In the middle was a single candle. It burned happily and heartily.  
  
"Pan!" Bra said, "Hurry up and make a wish! I'm hungry!"  
  
Pan froze. A wish. One wish. She couldn't think of anything she wanted except.....Trunks. Oh, how she wanted him. To feel his arms about her, comforting her when sad, and celebrating when joyous. She wanted to turn back time. She wanted to take back things she said. She wanted to kiss him, his warm lips spreading heat throughout her body.  
  
So she took a deep breath and gathered all of her feelings, all of her grief, and all of her love into that one, little, lone, candle that burned brightly even though it was alone. A light making the best of things in the dark. She let it out, and the candle was snuffed in a second. Everyone cheered and the roll was cut up, the middle given to her. She ate it silently, tasting the sweet sugar and cinnomany taste. Her family and friends gave her presents, and one by one she opened them all, trying to share in their happiness. She got clothes, a cell phone, and tons of other great gifts.  
  
There was one present, however, that could lift any teen's spirits. It was a small box, no bigger than her palm, which was given to her by her mom. Slowly and almost carefully, she opened the box, barely peeking inside. Laying on a mini velvet cushion was a set of keys, car keys. Realization hit her and she screamed and hugged Videl fiercely. When Marron and Bra saw them, they screamed too and jumped up and down.  
  
"Now," Gohan said, smiling, "Go take your gift certificates and birthday money down to the mall in your new car, Pan. You deserve it." He leaned down and kissed her cheek, "I love you so much, Pan," he whispered, "And I thank God every day that you are here to make my life so much more enjoyable."  
  
"I love you too, Dad," Pan replied, touched by the meaningful words.  
  
Ushered by her two friends, Pan spent the rest of the day at the mall and cruising downtown. She bought some hot outfits with the help of Marron and Bra. Pan was having such a good time that they even went guy watching, critiquing all the hot guys that passed their way. When the three girls finally arrived back at the Son house for dinner, Pan found the Supreme Kai waiting for her in the kitchen.  
  
"Supreme Kai! What are you doing here? Is everything all right?"  
  
"Oh, yes Pan, everything is fine. Tell me, how are you these days?" Kai said, a gleam in his eyes.  
  
"Um, well, I'm okay, I guess," Pan responded.  
  
There was a smile twitching at Kai's mouth.  
  
"What?" Pan said suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.  
  
"Come with me," he said, and lead the three girls out of the house. He powered up and flew, motioning for the girls to follow. Luckily, Marron could at least fly, and off they went, curious as monkeys.  
  
They came to a large clearing where a path was cleared so you could wander into civilization again. Already there was the entire clan of Z fighters and family. Some looked anxious and nervous, while some excited, and then some held no emotion at all.  
  
"What's going on, sir?" Marron said timidly to the Supreme Kai.  
  
"You will see, not to worry," he said, showing no hint whatsoever.  
  
Pan noticed that one person was missing however; it was Goku. Where could he be?  
  
"He's almost done, friends, they should be transported here soon," Supreme Kai said louder to everyone. There were murmurs and Bulma broke into tears, Vegeta's arm clutching her waist.  
  
Bra immediately went to her side, "Mom? What's wrong? What's happening?"  
  
"Pan," this was Videl, "Goku has gone to Namek."  
  
"Why? What could possibly be there?" Pan said, inquiringly.  
  
Then it dawned on her like a ray of sunshine.  
  
The Dragonballs! She gasped and looked at the Supreme Kai, who smiled at her.  
  
Bra and Marron began to understand as well, and looks of shock penetrated their faces. It had so happened that Goku had instant transmissioned to Planet Namek, where the Namekian Dragonballs were. They had been chosen instead of Earth's because they could revive someone more than twice. And the Z fighters who had perished had certainly died more than twice. So Goku would make the wish there and explain to everyone; he would probably tell them it was a dream, and then wish them back to Earth in this clearing. Pan's stomach churned, why was she so nervous?  
  
"He's coming," Supreme Kai said, and he motioned for them to all stand back a bit.  
  
Pan stood back, her mother's arm about her shoulders, holding her close. Pan really didn't know what to expect. Would Trunks act any more different to her? He'd never died before; that was Mirai Trunks during the Cell Games. She wondered if he would remember how he had died saving her life. What if he was mad she had gotten in the way? These torturing questions were soon drowned out by the sudden cuts in the air.  
  
Slowly, before her eyes, the cuts in the air were identified as a mass of people being instant transmissioned. They came in a circle, all connected to one another. Pan spotted Goku, then Yamcha, then Tien, and Goten. Her eyes lingered on them a bit; then she saw him. Standing there laughing with Yamcha about something he had said.  
  
Pan felt Videl's grip on her shoulder tighten, but Pan had no intention of moving. She was watching as Bulma and Bra ran to Trunks, hugging and kissing and crying. Vegeta gave him a pat on the back and spoke a few words, but that was it. Bulma took the time to embrace Yamcha and Tien heartily, and Krillin next, giving them a good handshake and welcoming them home. Supreme Kai conversed with Kabito, exchanging no show of affection whatsoever. Goten greeted them, and Pan gave him a kiss on the cheek and he gave her a tight squeeze on her other shoulder.  
  
Pan also saw Bra go over to Goten and give him a long hug, and Goten give Bra a kiss on the top of her head.  
  
Marron and 18 took over the job of instructing the ordinary citizens to the path to the left that led to the heart of the city. There they could make connections and go back to their families, waking up in the morning thinking about what a strange dream they had had.  
  
Only until a few people were left and the Z fighters, did the group talk as a whole. Goku took order, starting out by saying, "Welcome home, my friends. We are so glad to have you back. We have defeated Mystro not only physically, but we have gained back our loved ones, as well as the murdered citizens from the tournament. But, I must also say that a lot of the credit goes to another person. Pan. I saw you, you were incredible. I have the image of that evening clearly glued to my mind."  
  
Pan shrank back rather than be proud. That night had been the worst night of her life. It was not to be celebrated.  
  
But Goku went on, and she had to suffer through it. "I saw your appearance, red and black hair with black dots for eyes. You surpassed the level of Super Saiyan, it may have been an improved version, for it was nearly three times the power of going Super. You destroyed Mystro, and we are all very thankful to you for it. You will get the credit for it, Pan. We love you."  
  
Everyone came to give her a hug, her parents swallowing her with kisses.  
  
Pan did not get to speak to Trunks. Nor did they even exchange hugs. There were cars that the others had brought with them. Pan was not in the same car with Trunks, and she was silent as the others talked and talked.  
  
They went to the Briefs mansion, where Bulma and Vegeta would hold a cookout for the rest of the day. Pan supposed it was in honor of the defeat of Mystro. She doubted it was for her birthday. Videl made her put on a light blue dress that twirled and was flowy. It was strapless and was quite stunning on her, though she failed to recognize it. All through the night, Pan did not speak, not with Bra, Marron, or anyone. She didn't try to either. She felt kind of separated from the rest of the world. Like she was cut off.  
  
Dinner was being served and Pan wasn't hungry. So she strolled through the giant house, mentally admiring the furnishings, her mind trying to concentrate on something else. She took her heels off for her feet stung with blisters and she wandered the halls alone. But finally, she could escape him no longer. She came to the staircase that she and Trunks had slid down not so long ago. It brought back the memory of her first kiss with him.  
  
"Brings back memories, doesn't it?"  
  
Pan whirled around to find Trunks there, her skirt twirling effectively. He had dress clothes on and looked unbearably handsome.  
  
She stared at him for a second, then said simply, "Yes, it does."  
  
"Pan?"  
  
She looked him in the eye. He stepped closer, so that he was five feet away from her.  
  
Pan's heart spilled suddenly, and she closed the gap between them and pressed herself up against him. Her head came just under her chin, and she laid her head there, tears starting to fill up her eyes.  
  
Trunks held her, almost like comforting a lost child. They were like that for a few minutes, when Trunks broke away from her. He held her arms near her elbows, so she could not run away.  
  
"Thank you," she said, looking up at him, "For saving my life."  
  
"It was the least I could do," Trunks replied, pulling her closer, "after all the torture I put you through with that other girl. I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I was scared that you would be my weakness, and if anything happened to you, then I would be very vulnerable. And I didn't want that to happen, so I latched myself onto another woman. I'm so sorry, Pan. I was a jerk."  
  
She kissed him right then and there. It was a surprising kiss, even to herself, but it was gentle nevertheless. She broke away from him and said, "I missed you so much, Trunks. I think I've missed you my whole life. And now here you are, after I lost you."  
  
"You have won me back though, Pan, and for that I am very grateful. I love you, so much."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
Here was when Trunks wrapped his arms about her waist, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, and they kissed. It was gentle and sweet at first, but soon became heated and passionate. It was as though he had been with her all his life, and was just seeing her after a hard day at work.  
  
They split apart and that kiss had opened the floodgates. Out came pouring all of Pan's cooped up feelings for Trunks, her fears, her worries, her doubts. Trunks met her every confession with his own. They walked and talked, until finally they came to a bedroom.  
  
"This is my room, it looks so unused," Trunks said, as they walked into the room. It had blue walls with a desk, laptop, and piles and piles of books. The bed was not as big as Pan would have imagined, but then again, Trunks prioritized his work. "It's kind of eerie, after having not been in it for so long."  
  
"It's nice, not eerie. It's got a homey feeling to it, what with all the books," Pan replied. She was holding Trunks' hand.  
  
"Now that I'm here, and not that you're here, it's much more homey, and happy."  
  
Pan smiled at him, and Trunks smiled back, taking her face and forcing it up. He kissed her again. She kissed him back but with more force. She pressed her body up to his, their bodies forming to each other. He led her to the bed, where they lay down and cuddled. At this time, there were no naughty thoughts in Pan's head, despite the situation she was in. She was just glad to be in the embrace of Trunks, whom she had loved and missed her whole life.  
  
All this happened while there was a cookout downstairs. Pan and Trunks lay in each other's arms, oblivious to the world outside. All they cared about was each other.  
  
"Happy birthday, Pan-chan," Trunks said.  
  
Love took me by the hand  
  
Love took me by surprise  
  
Love led me to you  
  
And love opened up my eyes  
  
And I was drifting away  
  
like a drop in the ocean  
  
And now I realize that  
  
nothing has been as beautiful  
  
As when I saw heaven's skies  
  
In your eyes  
  
In your eyes  
  
And every time I drift away  
  
I lose myself in you  
  
And now I see I can be me  
  
In everything I do  
  
'Cause I was feeling as small  
  
as a drop in the ocean  
  
And now I realize that  
  
nothing has been as beautiful  
  
As when I saw heaven's skies  
  
In your eyes  
  
In your eyes  
  
Love took me by the hand  
  
Love took me by surprise  
  
And I was drifting away  
  
like a drop in the ocean  
  
And now I've realized that  
  
nothing has been as beautiful  
  
As when I saw heaven's skies  
  
In your eyes  
  
In your eyes  
  
~  
  
Well, that's it folks. I hope this was a good ending. It seemed right when I wrote it. It made it lengthy for you guys, although I have to admit, Pan really had a lot of thoughts going through her head during this chapter.  
  
I just want to say that I had a great time writing this story, and I was glad it was as successful as it was, being my first complete story. I appreciate all of my loyal reviewers and I thank you guys for sticking with me. Let me name a few: SSJ5Tigger, thank you so much for all of your helpful comments, your reviews often made me laugh; Adobo-chan, thanks so much for all of your reviews, I always looked forward to your views on my story; ummm, Skyflame2, thank you for reviewing so often, and I appreciated your steady reviewing. A few more, Trupan, ShadowObscurity, cutekitty2, and anyone I missed thank you so much.  
  
Now, I ask you guys one more flavor. Please, in a concluding review, tell me what you liked and didn't like about my story. Also, how I could improve, and last but not least, what my next DBZ project should be. I am thinking along the lines of Bra and Goten, because I would personally love to play with their characters. I didn't really get to focus on them much, but anyway, give me some suggestions and I'll put them to mind.  
  
Thanks again and I hope you enjoyed reading! 


End file.
